Bruce Collins, Evangelist

Last Days (God) has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; (Hebrews 1:2 NKJV) What are the Last Days? Apparently, the last days are the days in which we are presently living according to the above verse.  […]

Who is Our Teacher? Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing (correctly understanding and explaining) the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV) Study The KJV says to study to show yourself approved unto God.  We should be rightly dividing the Word of […]

Who is our Father? Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. “You are of […]

Patience,  A Virtue that We all Want Right Now! Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, (1 Thessalonians 1:3 NKJV) Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let […]

What is the Point? But man dies and is laid away; Indeed he breathes his last And where is he? (Job 14:10 NKJV) Studying the Bible Many of us have tried to understand the Bible since it has been proven through fulfilled prophecy and through the accuracy of its historical accounts to be the revelation […]

Distress and the Lord’s Promises And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. (1 Samuel 30:6 KJV) Now David was greatly distressed, for the […]

How Much Do We Love the Lord? “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” (Luke 7:47 NKJV) How do we Define Sin? Most would say sin is disobeying the express will of God.  Sin is sometimes […]

How Fleeting is Life! LORD, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah (Psalm […]

Prudent vs Naive  A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple (naive) pass on, and are punished. (Proverbs 22:3 KJV) A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished. (Proverbs 27:12 KJV) An Important Repetition When something is repeated in the Bible, it […]

Now Isaiah 1:18 NKJV — “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” 2 Corinthians 6:2 NKJV — For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, […]

A Hidden Gospel But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. (2 Corinthians 4:3-4 […]

Ignorance–Willful or Unintentional? Although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. (1 Timothy 1:13 NKJV) “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. (Acts 3:17 NKJV) For if we sin willfully after […]

What does it Mean to be Faithful? Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:2 NKJV) Definition A faithful person is trustworthy.  He or she is dependable.  As stewards they care for things that belong to others.  They certainly have to give account of their stewardship. Christians are stewards. […]

If God is for us, Who can be Against us? Romans 8:31 NKJV — What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? To Whom is this promise Made? Romans was written to Saints, or Holy Ones.  It was written to those who were believing ones […]

The Lord’s Teaching Was Different Matthew 7:29 NKJV — for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. What We Say Should Carry Weight Years ago, I had an old junker for a car.  I knew that it needed an alignment and I took it to a tire shop that had […]

New Year’s Resolutions Genesis 3:8 NKJV — And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Genesis 4:16 NKJV — Then Cain went out from […]

For What are We Looking? Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13 NKJV) The Blessed Hope This week, the United States is going to count ballots and declare a winner in the presidential election. The winner will actually be a loser in my opinion […]

Deceiving and being Deceived But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:13 NKJV) Distinguishing Between Truth and Error I have already stated in an earlier meditation that it is hard to distinguish between truth and error today. But what is bothering me is that Satan (the […]

Brothers. . .The Answer is Yes! Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9 NKJV) Brothers and their Love! God has commanded us to love Him and to love our neighbor.  Now there is great argument as to who […]

The Best is Yet to Come “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:3 NKJV) This thing called LIFE! All of us have asked the questions, “Why am I here?”  and “What is […]

The Last Great Enemy For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:25-26 NKJV) Personal Reminders of that Last Great Enemy Recently, I had an Aunt pass into eternity.  I have recently witnessed two of my fellow preachers pass […]

The Principal’s Office He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. “So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for […]

Meet me There! The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. (Mark 1:15 KJV) I have been preaching the Gospel for many years and have run into many hindrances with regard to simply believing or trusting in the Lord Jesus for salvation.  I want to […]

Do We Understand What Mary Experienced? “(yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:35 NKJV) Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (John 19:25 NKJV) The Silent […]

Why? Why Not? “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.” (Job 14:1 NKJV) “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NKJV) Some […]

Mothers (1 Thessalonians 2:7 NKJV) But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. (2 Timothy 1:5 NKJV) when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. […]

Beware! Matthew 7:15 NKJV — “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. What does it mean to beware? Beware means to be careful or to be on your guard–to watch out for someone or something.  The word sounds a warning. False Prophets The Bible has […]

Balaam, the Conundrum  “And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel encamped according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.” (Numbers 24:2, NKJV) Who is Balaam? Balaam is the son of Beor and he comes from Pethor which may be our Syria.  He lived near a river which is likely the […]

He is not Here! “But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” (Matthew 28:5-6 NKJV) Discouragement It must have been discouraging […]

New Heavens and New Earth “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all […]

God has Records and We are all going to Give Account! I have been thinking about the day when we all give account to God.  It appears that God is a good bookkeeper and keeps records.  He keeps records of believers in the book of life.  He records “works” in another book.   And then […]

Then Comes the End “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.” (1 Corinthians 15:24, NKJV) End or Beginning? As we come to the end of another man-made year, the phrase “THEN COMES THE END” keeps running […]

The Game of Life “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created […]

Then Shall They Know that I Am the Lord “Then the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. They shall be safe in their land; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them from […]

Disappointments “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.” (Luke 24:21, NKJV) Elections We have just finished our elections for this year.  In this country,  it is constantly election time, it seems.  I know that there […]

Students verses Spoon-fed Sponges “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is […]

Quench Not the Spirit Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 NKJV) How Do We […]

Which Father is Yours? Matthew 23:9 NKJV — “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.” John 8:44 NKJV — “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and […]

Eternity Past and Eternity Future Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest […]

Laboring to Enter Into Rest Hebrews 4:11 NKJV — Let us therefore be diligent (or labor) to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. Labor Day Labor day is really an oxymoron (an apparent contradiction).  We are of course remembering the value of labor, particularly of unionized labor, on […]

Meditating upon the Clouds Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:17 NKJV) Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they […]

Broken Hearts Reproach has broken my heart, And I am full of heaviness; I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; And for comforters, but I found none. (Psalm 69:20 NKJV) What Does it Mean to be Broken-hearted? Most dictionaries associate broken hearts with grief and sorrow. It can be caused by […]

When Silence is Golden   Job 16:2 (NKJV) “I have heard many such things; Miserable comforters are you all!   Counselors Counselors have thriving businesses today.  We can find secular counselors and religious counselors and counselors who tell people what they want to hear. But often the best counseling is done by just listening and […]

But I Am a Worm     But I am a worm, and no man;  A reproach of men, and despised by the people. (Psalm 22:6 NKJV) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:8 NKJV) […]

Beware! Beware lest anyone cheat you (spoil you) through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8 NKJV) The War To be spoiled is to be a loser in a war and to have all your goods and […]

Why is there Pain and Suffering?     “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4 NKJV)     Introduction I have missed the last several weeks of […]

Without Faith But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV) What is Faith? Many people have a general faith or confidence in a good God and they assume […]

My Servant     “Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their […]

Do We Have a Golden Calf? “They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!’?” (Exodus 32:8 NKJV) However Jehu […]

The Importance of the THE     Simon Peter answered and said, “You are THE Christ, THE Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16 NKJV)     Not A Christ, but THE Christ Paying attention to details is helpful when understanding the truth of Scripture.  Peter was asked, “Whom do men say that I am?”  […]

That They Might Be With Him Then He appointed twelve, that they might be WITH HIM and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons. (Mark 3:14-15, NKJV) Being With The Lord The twelve (including Judas) had the privilege of being “with the […]

Surprises!  They often come Suddenly! “and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” (Job 1:19 NKJV) This Week This week we woke up to find that […]

You Were not Willing!     “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but YOU WERE NOT WILLING!” (Matthew 23:37, NKJV)     People who were not […]

I wonder, Did He or Didn’t He?   A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished. (Proverbs 22:3 and 27:12 NKJV)   Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come […]

He Humbled Himself   And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, (Philippians 2:8-9 NKJV)   Therefore, as the elect of […]

Can Death be a Blessing?   The righteous perishes,  And no man takes it to heart; Merciful men are taken away, While no one considers That the righteous is taken away from evil. (Isaiah 57:1 NKJV)   Another Version:       Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no […]

Eternity, Eternal, Forever and Ever   “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:13, NKJV) “Then He who sat […]

Some will Heed the Warnings and Some will Not!   He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (Revelation 22:20-21 NKJV)   Weather Prophets For the last week, our weather prophets have been […]

The Power of the Wind   The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8 (NKJV)   Today is a windy day in Iowa.  Frankly, I do not like […]

Only a Sinner!   When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Mark 2:17 NKJV) And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise […]

Do we Actually say Thank you?   Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness. (Psalm 107:8-9 NKJV)   The Redeemed The children of Israel were those who […]

Then They Shall Know!   “Then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer.” (Ezekiel 39:28, NKJV)   What does it Take? The Lord (Jesus)  wants us to know […]

Wrath of God “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”” (John 3:36, NKJV) Occurences in the Bible The phrase “the wrath of God” occurs ten times in the NKJV of the Bible.  We […]

The Honor of Being Called a Friend   So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle. (Exodus 33:11 NKJV) So Hushai, David’s friend, went into […]

Are All Men (and Women) Liars?   I said in my haste, All men are liars. (Psalm 116:11 KJV) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. […]

The Formula for Success   “It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24, NKJV)   Our Desire All of us who are saved would like to believe the Lord is like Aladdin’s lamp.  In the mythical story,  Aladdin was able […]

We Who Believe in the Lord are Truly Blessed   The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him,  and delivers them. (Psalm 34:7 NKJV)   Fearing the Lord In the Bible worship is described in a number of ways.  Those who call on the name of the Lord (in contrast to […]

We Have Been Warned   For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. (1 Thessalonians 52-3:3 NKJV)   Hurricane […]

Wrestling Matches   Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. (Genesis 32:24 NKJV)   For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. […]

Woe is Me!   For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! (1 Corinthians 9:16 NKJV)   Preaching to the Saved   Recently I went to a gospel outreach where most of the people […]

Blessings found in the Book of Revelation   Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep (guard) those things which are written in it; for the time is near (ready). (Revelation 1:3 NKJV)   How are we Blessed? The Revelation of the Lord given to the apostle […]

The Last Enemy   Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12 NKJV)   Death is Inevitable  Apart from the return of the Lord to catch away the believers so that they won’t have to be present […]

Sin and Sorrow   “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold and see If there is any sorrow like my sorrow, Which has been brought on me, Which the LORD has inflicted In the day of His fierce anger. — Lamentations 1:12 NKJV   Sorrow is Common to Mankind Sorrow is […]

The Rest of the Story   For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. (Hebrews 10:37 NKJV)   The Promise   There are many places in Scripture where the Lord has promised to come again.  Christians assume He is talking about the rapture.  Jews are still waiting […]

Peter and John, Uneducated and Untrained?   “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13, NKJV)   Peter and John vs Paul Peter and John never went to a seminary.  They […]

Last Days   “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a […]

Ye Are The Branches   “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NKJV)   The Key is always Near the Door This passage has been controversial (and might I say confusing) to those […]

This is a Day of Good News Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent. If we wait until morning light, some punishment will come upon us. Now therefore, come, let us go and tell the king’s household.” (2 Kings […]

He Cares   Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an […]

I Will Come Again!   John 14:3 (NKJV) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.   Important Events Important events in the life of the Lord for the believer include: 1.  The crucifixion 2.  […]

  “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm (salvation) of the LORD been revealed?” (Isaiah 53:1, NKJV)   The Twelve The disciples of the Lord were told over and over again by the Lord that He would suffer and die and be raised from the dead.  Apparently, they never believed what […]

Make it Taste Good   No grain offering which you bring to the LORD shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey in any offering to the LORD made by fire. As for the offering of the firstfruits, you shall offer them to the LORD, but they shall not […]

All Things or All These Things?   Romans 8:28 (NKJV) And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.   Context, Context, Context Based on Romans 8 29, If you love God, everything that happens to you is for […]

The Heart–What is it?   The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked;  Who can know it? — Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of […]

What About Me?   Deuteronomy 1:39 NKJV — ‘Moreover your little ones and your children, who you say will be victims, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there; to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.   Knowledge of Good and Evil Our verse above […]

Bullies   “Many bulls have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. They gape at Me with their mouths, Like a raging and roaring lion.” (Psalm 22:12-13 NKJV)   My Experience When I was in elementary school, I used to run home frequently to avoid some bullies that always wanted to “fight” for […]

Jesus Wept!   “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15 NKJV)   “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like […]

There is a lot of this Going Around   But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation (trial or testing) fall away. (Luke 8:13 NKJV)   There are Four Classes of […]

Theenda (pronounced thee end uh)   “Better to go to the house of mourning Than to go to the house  feasting, For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart.” (Ecclesiastes 7:2 NKJV)   The End of All Men (or all people) When our last child was conceived, […]

Either one Believe’s the Bible or one Doesn’t   “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His […]

I am Thankful for the Promise of Eternal Life   “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” (John 5:24 NKJV)   What is Eternal Life? Our first birth […]

I am Thankful for the Promise of the Lord’s Return   “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:3 NKJV)   “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but […]

I am Thankful for the Holy Spirit   “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26 NKJV) “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide […]

I am Thankful For the Bible   “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.” (Acts 8:35 NKJV)   “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV)   The Written Word tells […]

I am Thankful for the Cross   “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18 NKJV) “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom […]

Evil Hearts of Unbelief   “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;” (Hebrews 3:12 NKJV) ““of sin, because they do not believe in Me;” (John 16:9 NKJV) ““He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is […]

What is Biblical Freedom?   “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36 NKJV)   “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.” (Romans 6:17 NKJV) “And having been set free […]

You Have to Know Him to Understand   “What is your beloved More than another beloved, O fairest among women? What is your beloved More than another beloved, That you so charge us?” (Song of Songs 5:9 NKJV)   Comparing Bridegrooms The daughters of Jerusalem are asking the bride (or bride to be) what makes […]

The Command   “Quench not the Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19 KJV)   How can the Spirit be Quenched? Basically the Holy Spirit is quenched when men and women take on the role that the Holy Spirit should have. The role of the Holy Spirit includes the following:   1.  The Holy Spirit brings about the […]

The Wow Factor!   “But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” (Exodus 9:16 NKJV)   Why am I Here? The question that arises in everyone’s mind (if they are honest) is the question, […]

The Cross of a True Disciple   “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24 NKJV) ““For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find […]

Losing a Library   So all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years; and he died. (Genesis 5:27 NKJV)   Building the Library “And He died” is the common denominator of the brief obituaries given in Genesis 5. Think of it, some of those names had nearly 1000 years of knowledge and […]

I Believe God!   “Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me (Act 27:25 NKJV).”   When people today tell me that they have faith, I would like to ask them three questions: 1.  Whom do you have faith in? 2.  What promise has He/She […]

There is a Spiritual Body   1 Corinthians 15:42-44 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.  It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.  It is sown a natural body, it […]

Saved, There is that Word Again   1 Corinthians 10:31-33  NKJV — Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God,  just as I also please all men in all […]

There is Only One   Psalm 119:68 NKJV — You are good, and do good;  Teach me Your statutes. Luke 18:19 NKJV — So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.   My Perception A lot of people seem to be good to […]

Three Considerations   Romans 13:10-11 NKJV — Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.  And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.   Practical Truths Romans 1 […]

Sometimes we Need to be Reminded Romans 8:38-39 NKJV — For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in […]

Enemies   Romans 5:10 NKJV — For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.   What is an Enemy? In the Bible an, enemy is an adversary.  Usually hate is involved.    Who are […]

Healing the brokenhearted   Isaiah 61:1 NKJV — “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,  Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound. […]

Holding Back Nothing that is Helpful!   (Acts 20:20-21 NKJV) “I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”   Have We Who Teach today Been […]

  (Acts 13:22 NKJV) “And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’   What Does it mean when we read that […]

  (John 17:20-21 NKJV) “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent […]

  (Ruth 1:16 NKJV) But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.   Orpha and Ruth When Elimelech left Bethlehem in […]

Important Scriptures that Guide our Understanding of God, The Bible and Salvation   The Scriptures are the Holy Writings found In the Bible.   The Scriptures including Paul’s writings are Inspired 2 Timothy 3:16  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. […]

  John 8:44-47 NKJV — “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for […]

1 Samuel 2:12 NKJV — Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the LORD. 1 Samuel 3:6-7 NKJV — Then the LORD called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie […]

  2 Samuel 12:24 NKJV — Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Now the LORD loved him. 1 Chronicles 28:5-6 NKJV — “And of all my sons (for the LORD has given me many sons) He […]

  (John 14:3 NKJV) (3) “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.   Would We Really? If the Lord were to come and knock on our doors would we really be happy to see HIm?  […]

  (1 Samuel 15:13-15 NKJV) (13) Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD.” But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” And Saul said, […]

“Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.” (Joshua 21:45 NKJV) He CANNOT deny Himself! As I have been reading through the Old Testament ups and downs of the nation of Israel, I have been reminded of Paul’s letter to Timothy […]

  Better to go to the house of mourning Than to go to the house of feasting, For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart. (Ecclesiastes 7:2 NKJV)   Why? Solomon had it made and he tried it all.  Yet he says partying or the house of […]

  He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3 NKJV)   Remember Do you remember what it was like when you first realized Christ had died for your sins and He told you so in the Bible.  You likely sang, “At the cross, at the […]

  Balaam’s Donkey Apparently unsaved people can know God’s mind and speak for him.  I make that statement based on the fact that Balaam’s donkey spoke for God to Balaam and he was certainly not “saved.” (See Numbers 22)   “Then Balak’s anger was aroused against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak […]

  And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. (2 Timothy 2:2 NKJV)   But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that […]

  But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.  (Hebrews 10:12 NKJV)   Where Should the Comma Be? I have heard a lot of ministry on this verse.  Some preach that the comma should be after the word sins and some think the […]

  Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you,  and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 NKJV)   Chaos Our world is filled with chaos.  We have the […]

And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. (42) “But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:41-42 NKJV)   Martha Martha was a servant’s servant.  But when the Lord came to visit, […]

  “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” (Genesis 6:5-6 NKJV)   Wickedness of […]

  2 Timothy 3:14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.   Deception Abounds! As we get closer and closer to the Lord’s return, it is harder and harder to make sure that what we believe is true.  I can […]

  When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, “Lord, Lord, open for us,” and He will answer and say to you, “I do not know you, where you are from” (Luke 13:25 NKJV)   After these […]

  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. (John 1:6-7 NKJV “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their […]

FOR THOU HAST DELIVERED MY SOUL FROM DEATH (Psalm 116:8)   My Personal Story (November 24, 1963)   The scriptures tell us that “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) Thus, those of us who are saved (or born again) have been blessed […]

  Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper (or guardian)?” (Genesis 4:9 NKJV)   Universal Theme of the Bible In Matthew 22:35-40 we read, “Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, ‘Teacher, which […]

  (Luke 23:33 NKJV) “And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.” (Acts 1:11 NKJV) “who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken […]

  “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” (Romans 12:9 NKJV) “But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God. . .by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,” (2 Corinthians 6:4-6 NKJV) “Now the purpose of the commandment is love […]

  Deuteronomy 6:5 NKJV — “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Mark 12:30 NKJV — ‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This […]

Judges 17:6 NKJV — In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Judges 21:25 NKJV — In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25 NKJV — There is a way that […]

  Revelation 20:10 NKJV — The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.   The Devil, the Beast, and the False Prophet The devil is the evil one.  He is […]

  There are some names that I am hearing over and over again on the news.  I wish I never had to hear some of those names again.  But there is a name that I do love to hear.  Some people use this name as a cuss word, I use the name reverently.  I can […]

  2 Corinthians 5:1-4 NKJV — For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been […]

  1 Corinthians 15:51-52 NKJV — Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.   Notice […]

  Hebrews 5:7-9 NKJV — who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned (experienced) obedience by the […]

  James 2:18 NKJV — But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.   The Basics We know that the Bible says that to be a Christian we MUST be born again (John 3:7).   We […]

  2 Timothy 3:1-5 NKJV — But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of […]

Proverbs 27:1 NKJV — Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth. Recent Unplanned Events On May 28, I jumbled off of a platform that I shouldn’t have. I should have sat down and then lowered myself off of the platform or else I should have gotten […]

  Matthew 24:43-44 NKJV — “But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” […]

Genesis 3:5 NKJV — “For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:16 NKJV — To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; […]

Revelation 1:7 NKJV — Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. Mourning or Wailing When the Lord reveals Himself to the world at His second coming there is going to […]

Hebrews 12:7-8 NKJV — If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.  My Personal Chastening I have been laid up with a […]

John 16:20 NKJV — “Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. Definition Joy has to do with gladness or cheerfulness. It is usually an emotion associated with a feeling of well-being. Joy […]

1 Corinthians 13:4 NKJV — Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up. The Seven Deadly Sins We often hear of seven deadly sins. They seem to have been enumerated as part of Roman Catholic theology. They are pride, envy, gluttony, greed, lust, sloth, […]

Luke 24:46 NKJV — Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day. Synonyms for suffering Suffering has to do with pain. Some words that are often used to describe suffering are DISTRESS, SUFFERING, MISERY, and […]

Genesis 6:5-8 NKJV — Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD […]

1 Peter 4:5 NKJV — They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. Hebrews 13:17 NKJV — Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and […]

2 Kings 23:25 NKJV — Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him. Josiah The revival under King Josiah who ruled […]

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears […]

The Love of a Friend Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”(John 11:3 NKJV) Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. (John 11:5 NKJV) The Love of a Friend Mary, Martha and Lazarus were loved by the Lord.  The word used for love when referring […]

        Blessed is he who reads (probably publicly) and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep (guard) those things which are written in it; for the time is near (always ready). (Revelation 1:3 NKJV) The Pandemic Because of the coronavirus, there is a lot of interest in the prophetic plan of God.  […]

     “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV) “Not everyone […]

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV) A Possible Translation Thou will keep him in peace peace (word is repeated for emphasis) whose thoughts are supported by You, because he trusts in you. We tend to take old testament promises that […]

        Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the first and great commandment. […]

       And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25 KJV) What is the Definition of the Church? The word […]

      Jesus wept. (John 11:35 NKJV) Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it. (Luke 19:41 NKJV) Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard […]

        And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He […]

    Matthew 9:2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” Matthew 14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” […]

Lev 23:3  ‘Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath (cessation of work) of the LORD in all your dwellings. Ceasing Work The Jews had holidays where they could not work at all […]

And that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:24 NKJV)   Are we putting on the New Man? Christians are not sinless, but they should have a conscience about sin.  They should sin less than they did before they were “born again” as […]

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  (1 Corinthians 1:18 NKJV) The Cross The cross in the Bible is a place where criminals (or those judged to be criminals) lost their lives.  Most would say that […]

  Knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any […]

And Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go." (Exodus 5:2 NKJV) Ten Times? Pharaohs were considered to be gods by their subjects at the time when Moses confronted this ruler of Egypt about freeing […]

The pains of death surrounded me, And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow. (Psalms 116:3 NKJV) Life is full of Sorrow! Recently I received news of a young married mother who had died from cancer.  She and her family were close friends in my younger years. That family […]

And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son […]

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1 NKJV) For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18 NKJV) Why? Why would the Holy Spirit lead the Lord into the wilderness to be […]

So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here." (Genesis 45:13 NKJV) Word Study Glory usually has to do with splendor, or great beauty or with honor.  The glory of the Lord is a vast […]

And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.  (Matthew 1:16 NKJV) Who was She? “Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the […]

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing (epiphany)  (2 Timothy 4:8 NKJV). Definition An epiphany is a supernatural manifestation or appearance.  Some dictionaries even […]

Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language who were living in all the land: "May your peace abound! "I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; For He is the living God […]

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, […]

"Then they shall know that I am the LORD, when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries. But I will spare a few of their men from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the Gentiles wherever they go. Then they shall […]

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also […]

Luke 24:15 Jesus HIMSELF drew near The Lord is touched by the feelings of our infirmities, and He took time to make two sad people glad.  The two traveling from Jerusalem to Emmaus had thought all hope was lost when the Lord was crucified.  Instead they were rewarded with His very presence after the resurrection […]

And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. (Luke 16:17 KJV) What is a tittle? According to Easton”s Bible dictionary, A tittle is a point, (Mat_5:18; Luk_16:17), the minute point or stroke added to some letters of the Hebrew alphabet to distinguish them from others […]

And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. (Matthew 6:12 NKJV) Definition of Debts When the whole passage is read in context, it is quite clear that the debts referred to are trespasses or sins.  We are to forgive those who sin against us so that God can forgive us and hear and […]

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father. (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 NKJV) But let us who are of the day […]

But as it is written: “EYE HAS NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NOR HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV) My Bucket List I had the Grand Canyon on my bucket list (things I wanted to do before I die) […]

For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. (Acts 11:24 NKJV) None Good We know that we are all born sinners.  We sin because that is our nature.  In Mark 10:18 a rich young ruler called the Lord good […]

So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I […]

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (Romans 8:14 NKJV) Our Guide Today most of us drive using GPS navigation.  When the little voice in our phone says go left, we do our best to go left.  When it says go right, we try to go […]

So the king said to him, "How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?" (2 Chronicles 18:15 NKJV)   Confidence in the Bible and in the Work of the Holy Spirit We have a Bible that the Lord says is dependable […]

My beloved spoke, and said to me: "Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away. For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land. The fig tree […]

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8 NKJV) We need Hope and Joy We all need something that motivates us to […]

I sink in deep mire, Where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, Where the floods overflow me. (Psalms 69:2 NKJV) Those who hate me without a cause Are more than the hairs of my head; They are mighty who would destroy me, Being my enemies wrongfully; Though I have stolen nothing, […]

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13 NKJV) Common Sense We have a grocery store that is going to make me rich.  They advertise that the more you spend the more you save.  Now I think if I take time on a Saturday morning to take advantage of all the […]

  Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way; When the almond tree blossoms, The grasshopper is a burden, And desire fails. For man goes to his ETERNAL HOME, And the mourners go about the streets. (Ecclesiastes 12:5 NKJV)   Our Eternal Home The preacher in this book encourages people to […]

Then the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was aroused against Job; his wrath was aroused because he justified himself rather than God. Also against his three friends his wrath was aroused, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. (Job 32:2-3 NKJV) Job […]

But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:5 NKJV) Three Recent Experiences On three occasions recently, I have had opportunity to ask people if they knew what an evangelist was.  One was a girl who was cleaning my teeth.  I found it […]

Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a loyal heart. (2 Chronicles 25:1-2 NKJV) Have to vs Get to Many of us do what […]

But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am." (Genesis 22:11 NKJV) The Lord Addressing His Own I have been thinking about the fact that the Lord called Martha’s name twice in Luke 10:41.   There are a number of times (perhaps eight) in […]

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. (Luke 24:27 NKJV) Where was Recording Device? The Lord was obviously a good teacher.  What made Him a good teacher?  He knew what He was talking about.  I doubt that he covered every portion of […]

In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.’ "  (2 Kings 20:1 NKJV) One of the Good Guys Hezekiah was a good king […]

And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11 NKJV) Mary was Privileged Mary had the privilege that only one woman has had […]

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!  (1 Corinthians 9:16 NKJV) What is My Gift? One question I have been asked frequently by other Christians is, “What is my gift?”  “How can I […]

Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes […]

  And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. (Luke 10:39 NKJV) And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. (Luke 10:41 NKJV)   Mary vs Martha Martha, bless her heart, was a worker.  She was preparing […]

But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" (Luke 10:29 NKJV) How do we obtain eternal life?  At first it would seem that this story is telling us that we obtain eternal life by being a good neighbor when in fact it is teaching us that we obtain eternal […]

  And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the […]

  And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43 NKJV) But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ (Luke 12:20 NKJV)     The Question? Would […]

  Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. […]

    Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I die!"  (Genesis 30:1 NKJV)   Our Burden Wouldn’t it be great if the burden of each Christian’s heart was, “Give me children or else I die!”  Wouldn’t it be […]

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.  (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV) Anxiety Anxiety is a common problem among my friends, and it is a problem that I experience more and more as I get older.  Why should we be anxious when the Lord has told […]

And Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go." (Exodus 5:2 NKJV)  Knowing the Lord is more than knowing about Him.  We can know about people without really being their friends or without really having […]

"Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, That they may see you. (Ezekiel 28:17 NASB)  The Allegory This section of Ezekiel is describing the King of Tyre, but it seems to allegorically describe […]

Then all the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD. (Exodus 19:8 NKJV) One Commandment Adam and Eve were given one commandment in the Garden of Eden and they disobeyed.  Now the children of Israel are […]

Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:4 NKJV) In general, what we think is right is wrong. That is, what makes sense to us in a natural way is wrong when it comes to spiritual things. Here are some examples: Children We all want […]

  And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:9 NKJV)   See, I have set before you […]

  Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. (John 14:1 NKJV)   There are little words with important meanings in the Scripture.  For example, in Romans 5:8, there is a “but” that catches my attention.  “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for […]

Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name. "They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "On the day that I make them My […]

  These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world  (John 16:33 NKJV).   In the movie Miss Congeniality, Gracie Hart played by Sandra Bullock is an undercover cop at a beauty pageant.  […]

  3 John 1:1 NKJV The Elder, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth: 3 John 1:9 NKJV I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. 3 John 1:12 NKJV Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. […]

    Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.   Big Topic Whenever we look at the mind from a Biblical point of view, we have a big […]

    We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8 NKJV   Death seems so Final I have received word this week of two more friends who have passed into eternity.  That makes five in the last two months.  One […]

    No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." (Jeremiah 31:34 NKJV) […]

    For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV) […]

    Matthew 12:31-32 NKJV "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.  Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be […]

    The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3:8 NKJV) However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for […]

  So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20 NKJV)   Can We Move Mountains? The […]

  And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." (Revelation 14:11)   The Saved Recently I went to the funeral of a man who had trusted the Lord Jesus as […]

    And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42 NKJV)   In our congregation we have a gathering to celebrate the Lord’s Supper and then we break for a time of "fellowship".  I often hear that we are going to have "fellowship" […]

    Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! (1 Kings 10:8 NKJV)   The Queen of Sheba Solomon was on the throne of the Kingdom of Israel.  He was known for his wisdom and for his riches.  His reign was glorious in […]

    "FOR YET A LITTLE WHILE, AND HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME AND WILL NOT TARRY. NOW THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; BUT IF ANYONE DRAWS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM." But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the […]

    So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalms 90:12 NKJV)   The Perspective of Age When we are young, we have enthusiasm (usually), and goals and dreams.  But we don’t have the perspective that age brings.  We often live as though we will live forever.  […]

  Who "WILL RENDER TO EACH ONE ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS": eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does […]

    He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:29-31 NKJV)   Things that are not so Obvious Our Declaration of Independence has these words: "We […]

    You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalms 16:11 NKJV)   Pleasures for ever More! Many people look for pleasure, that is for things that make them feel good, in different ways.  Some seek money, some seek honor, […]

  There are a number of things that I have been thinking about since the world tells us that Sunday is (or was) Father’s day.  Now every day should be Father’s day, just as every day should be Mother’s day, Children’s day, Family day, etc.  But since we are talking fathers, let us think about […]

    It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. The rainbow […]

But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation […]

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not […]

    But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (James 2:18)   My Concern Before I trusted Christ for salvation, I was impressed with how long eternity is and as a result I wanted […]

    All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)   We are all like Sheep We would like to think we are all leaders but the Bible is clear that at least […]

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then […]

  John 2:5  His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."   Does the Lord Speak to us Today? The Lord spoke to Joseph, Daniel, and Job through dreams.  He spoke to Kings through prophets.  He speaks to us today thought His Son.  The writer of Hebrews tell us, “God, […]

  Rom 3:3-4  For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?    Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS, AND MAY OVERCOME WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED.”   The Importance of […]

Luke 4:1  Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.   What a Way to Begin! As the Lord began his public earthly ministry, I notice several things.  One, He was baptized and the whole trinity was involved.  The Lord was there, […]

  Mat 8:26  But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.   The Difference The difference between little faith and great faith doesn’t have to do with the intensity of our believing but […]

  John 8:44  You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is […]

    And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." (Acts 16:30-31 NKJV)   Heaven or Hell? Most of us who are believers wonder just what it is that the […]

  Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.   Definition The Strong’s dictionary defines fellowship as “partnership, that is, (literally) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction.  The Greek word has been translated communicate or communication, communion, distribution, fellowship.   The Vine’s […]

    Genesis 50:20  But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Exodus 5:2 And Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I […]

  Genesis 46:30   And Israel said to Joseph, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive." Luke 2:29-30  "Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word;  For my eyes have seen Your salvation. John 9:35-38 Jesus heard that they had cast him […]

    Deuteronomy 10:12-13 "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,  and to keep the commandments of the […]

    Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe […]

  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (sacrifice)  for our sins. (1 John 4:10) What The World Needs Now Is Love– What the world needs now Is love, sweet love It’s the only thing that there’s just too little […]

  The Lord’s first coming is being celebrated by a world that by and large does not believe in Him in a Biblical way.  Many celebrate Christmas but do not get baptized scriptually nor do they celebrate the Lord’s supper often as the Lord requested.  In many cases they do not love their neighbors.  But […]

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in His own […]

John 8:44-46  You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a […]

Ezekiel 7:4  “My eye will not spare you, Nor will I have pity; But I will repay your ways, And your abominations will be in your midst; Then you shall know that I am the LORD!” Ezekiel 34:27  Then the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. […]

Luke 5:27-28  After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me."  So he left all, rose up, and followed Him.   Publicans Matthew (Levi) was a tax collector.  He was a Jew who was collecting taxes for the Romans […]

  1 Samuel 10:27  But some rebels said, "How can this man save us?" So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.   God’s Choice We are often told that Saul was the choice that made sense to the children of Israel and that he was man’s choice to […]

  Jeremiah 17:5-8  Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD.  For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt […]

  (1 Corinthians 15:32)  If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, "LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE!" (1 Corinthians 15:33)  Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits." (1 Corinthians 15:34)  Awake to […]

2 Timothy 2:15  Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.   Some Things are Hard to Understand I am convinced that many well-meaning Christians have never been taught how to rightly divide the Word of Truth.  They think that […]

  John 1:14  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.   The Incarnation John 1 gives us a theological explanation of the incarnation of Christ.  We find out that the the Lord is […]

  1 Kings 19:11-12  Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an […]

  Psalms 40:5  Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done.   God has done marvelous things.  When He created this world, He said that it was good.  When He got done creating a woman on the sixth day, He stepped back and considered everything that He had done and […]

    Matthew 5:3-12 (3)  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (4)  Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. (5)  Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. (6)  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. […]

    Exodus 16:31  And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.   Numbers 11:6-8  But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.  And the […]

  Revelation 3:17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—   Blindness Eyesight is a great blessing.  Being able to see the clouds, the rain, the rainbows, the stars and all of God’s creation is exhilarating.  […]

  Romans 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power (like dynamite) of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.   The definition of Salvation–Salvation is being saved or protected from harm or being saved or delivered from […]

Act 15:11  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they."   The Problem No matter where you go and whom you talk to, there is always an emphasis on something besides the grace of God when it comes to being a […]

    Ephesians 6:12  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.   Where are these heavenly places where the wicked spirits do their dastardly deeds?  We are here on planet […]

    1 Peter 2:2  as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.   Peter the Shepherd Peter was called as a fisherman to become a fisherman.  He had a business fishing for fish.  Then he became an evangelist fishing for souls.  But Peter learned that he had […]

    Hebrews 9:27-28 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.   Memorial Day This weekend is a […]

    1Ch 1:1  Adam, Seth, Enosh, 1Ch 1:2  Cainan, Mahalalel, Jared, 1Ch 1:3  Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, 1Ch 1:4  Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.   All Scripture is Inspired I know that all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness (2 […]

2 Peter 1:16-18 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is […]

    2Sa 23:8  These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: 2Sa 23:11-12  And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. But he […]

Acts 10:33 So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God."   Background The centurion was a Roman soldier who either had or who was converting to Judaism.  He was sincere in his desire […]

John 20:15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away."   My thoughts are not your Thoughts Sometimes we say […]

  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also (John 14:3).    We do Know that The Promise is Sure The Lord speaking to His disciples says, “And if I go and prepare a place […]

  Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 11:24-25 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do […]

    2 Kings 6:15-17 And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us […]

James 5:14-15 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he […]

  John 14:15 "If you love Me, keep (guard) My commandments.   The Options Since the Bible is so clear that “keeping” or guarding God’s commandments brings blessing and rejecting His commandments brings disaster, why is it so easy to stray from the straight and narrow way?  We know by experience and by observation that […]

  Matthew 23:1-12 (1) Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, (2) saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. (3) Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. (4) For they […]

  Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself […]

  John 1:16-17 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.   What is Grace? There are some words that are hard to define because they mean different things in different situations.  Grace is one of […]

  Revelation 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.   Scary Times The book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is scary.  Most of its message has to do with judgments on this earth because men would rather worship anyone and anything other than the Lord Jesus.  But with […]

  Luke 2:13-14 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"   So for whom was the first Christmas Merry? It wasn’t really merry for Mary and Joseph.  They had to travel to […]

    2 Timothy 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: (2) For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (3) unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, (4) traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than […]

  Hebrews 5:7-9  who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear,   though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He […]

John 17:17 Sanctify them (or set them apart as a special people) by Your truth. Your word is truth.   This Got Me to Thinking! I was awakened on a recent Saturday morning by a call from a man who told me that he and his family were without food and that they couldn’t get […]

  John 16:11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world (society) is judged. 1 John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world (society) lies under the sway of the wicked one. Ephesians 2:2 in which you once walked according to the course (age) of this world (society), according to […]

    Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.   […]

    Revelation 13:8  All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.    Evil Personified I know some of you are waiting for me to tell you what the mark of the beast […]

    Act 9:3-6 (3)  As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. (4)  Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" (5)  And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I […]

1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.   The Problems The Corinthian church had problems.  I am always encouraged when I read the letters that Paul wrote to the saints or set apart ones at Corinth.  We tend to complain about the problems in […]

    Philippians 4:11  Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.   Contentment, What is it? This Greek word for contentment is only used here in the Bible.  I am not enough of a Greek scholar to know if variations of the […]

  Galatians 2:20-21  I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.  I do not set aside the grace […]

    Malachi 4:5-6  Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.  And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse. […]

    Eph 4:29-32   Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil […]

    2Ti 2:12-13  If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.  If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. Mat 26:34  Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me […]

  1 Corinthians 13:13  And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.   On a recent Saturday morning as I pulled out on the highway, I saw a woman and a young boy walking along the side of the road.  They were holding hands.  He was holding a […]

  1 Corinthians 1:9  God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.   Faithful or Trustworthy The Corinthians had problems.  They were believers. They had been called into the fellowship of the the Lord Jesus Christ whom they and Paul called Lord.  But they were […]

  Luke 13:23-30 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and […]

  Jeremiah 17:5-10 (5)  Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD. (6)  For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In […]

Psalms 19:14  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.   God has Spoken David had a privilege many of us have not had.  He had an unobstructed view of the sky while keeping sheep.  It made Him realize […]

    Hebrews 2:6-9 (6)  But one testified in a certain place, saying: "WHAT IS MAN THAT YOU ARE MINDFUL OF HIM, OR THE SON OF MAN THAT YOU TAKE CARE OF HIM? (7)  YOU HAVE MADE HIM A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS; YOU HAVE CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR, AND SET HIM […]

Luke 18:14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.   Don’t we all Want to be Great? In Acts 8 there was a sorcerer named Simon who practiced magic arts […]

  Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For […]

    Proverbs 25:25  As cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a far country.   Most News today is not Refreshing! When I get up in the morning, one of the luxuries I allow myself is a good cup of coffee.  While I am drinking it, I also watch the […]

  John 11:3  His sisters therefore sent to him, saying: Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. (That is, your friend is sick) John 11:5  Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister Mary and Lazarus. (That is, Jesus wanted what was best for Martha and Mary and Lazarus).   We don’t Understand the Lord’s […]

  Isaiah 2:1-4 (1)  The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. (2)  Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall […]

John 8:21  Then Jesus said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come." 1 Thessalonians 4:16  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. […]

  Matthew 27:35-36 Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: "THEY DIVIDED MY GARMENTS AMONG THEM, AND FOR MY CLOTHING THEY CAST LOTS."  Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.   Matthew 27:54  So when the centurion and those with […]

  Proverbs 27:6  Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.   Showing Affection and Love A kiss is a way of showing true affection and love.  In the Bible, New Testament Christians were to greet one another with a holy kiss.  I am not sure what a […]

  Genesis 48:10  Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them.   Blindness is a physical infirmity but it is also a spiritual infirmity.  I have often wondered what it would be like to be […]

  Judges 6:13  Gideon said to Him, "O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered […]

Luke 12:4-5  "And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.  But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to […]

  Lamentations 3:21-23  This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.  Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.   This Morning I got up refreshed after a good night’s sleep this morning.  That doesn’t always happen.  Some times […]

  John 20:27-29  Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen […]

  Ecclesiastes 2:11  Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.   I know About Profits Having studied accounting, having passed the CPA exam, having […]

  Mark 10:25-27 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not […]

    1 Timothy 1:15  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.   What is a faithful saying?  It is a saying that is trustworthy.  It is a communication that is true.  One should be able to […]

    Exodus 36:5-7  and they spoke to Moses, saying, "The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the LORD commanded us to do."  So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, "Let neither man nor woman do any more work […]

    John 5:39  You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.   Definition Eternity is defined as time that has no beginning and no end.  In most translations of the Bible, God is described as eternal (see Deuteronomy 33:27).  Our home […]

    Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.    The Battle No one has to tell us that there is a constant battle going on between good and evil in […]

    Matthew 8:2-3  And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.   The True Story of What Happened This leper needed to be […]

  1 John 5:4-5  For whatever (whosoever) is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith.  Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?   The Apostle John and the Overcomer John writes a lot about […]

    James 5:16  Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.   Last week was another week of bad news.  It was also another week where news and social media arm-chair quarterbacks were certain that they […]

Ecclesiastes 2:11  Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun. Black Friday this year does not seem to be very black.  The sales on the […]

  Ephesians 4:4-6  (4)There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;  (5)  one Lord, one faith, one baptism;  (6)  one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.   One Body Ephesians is written to a local […]

  Proverbs 25:25  As cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a far country.   We could Use Some Good News We could use some good news from a far country today.  It would be nice to see Isis (or Isil or whatever they are supposed to be called) lay down […]

    Ephesians 4:1-3  I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,  with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,  endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.   Saints, Slaves, Prisoners Christians […]

  Mat 24:44  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.   Frantic Expectation There is a certain frantic expectation in the fall air.  It is associated with a fourth blood moon that is set to occur on an important Jewish feast day, the […]

    John 15:12-13 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.   Four Words for Love The Greek language has four words for love.  One of the words is the word often […]

Philippians 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.   The Ugliness of September 11, 2011 Today as I am writing this meditation, we are being reminded of the terrible tragedy known as […]

  John 18:38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”  John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”   The Lies Never Quit The Unites States in the middle of another national election cycle.  These campaigns just go on […]

  Psalms 142:4  Look on my right hand and see, For there is no one who acknowledges me; Refuge has failed me; No one cares for my soul.   Background   This is a prayer of David, the man who had been anointed by Samuel to be king.  He had slain the giant;  but now […]

    Luke 5:12-13 And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, […]

  1 Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. How to Get Depressed […]

  Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Question? Do all things work together for GOOD to those who love God?  The Lord says that they do so they must, but in what sense is […]

    2 Corinthians 12:2-4 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of […]

Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.   Beauty This planet is a beautiful place.  It is teeming with all different forms of life.  There are birds for the sky, plants for the earth, fish and other mammals for the sea as well as a multitude of other […]

    Acts 20:27 “For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.”   A Cause for Reflection As I am writing this, I am faced with the loss of another close friend.  I received a text message last night a little after midnight.  It said that my friend had […]

    Job 1:8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”   There is only one really perfect man and that is the God-man Christ Jesus.  But if a […]

  Acts 13:38-39  “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.   Background Paul and his band had gotten as […]

All have Sinned (Except for the Man on the Middle Cross)!   1 Peter 2:23 Who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.   What is God really like? Wouldn’t it be nice if we who claim to […]

  Psalms 107:8-9:  Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.   I just finished eating a wonderful breakfast.  The menu was eggs over easy, hash browns with […]

  Romans 3:18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”   Consequences I am meditating on a very solemn subject this week.  That subject has to do with the consequences of offending God.  Our society today is much like the Roman society that Paul was describing in this epistle.  Paul uses Old Testament […]

1 Corinthians 13:13  And now abide faith, hope, love (charity), these three; but the greatest of these is love (charity).   Permanent Gifts The permanent gifts of the Spirit are faith, hope and charity.  The greatest of these gifts is love or charity.  This is the love that God had for the world when He […]

John 11:47-48 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. “If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”   The Miracle Lazarus the friend […]

  John 8:9  And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.   Things that the Lord Remembers The Lord made a promise after he destroyed the earth with a flood.  His promise was that He would never do that again.  He has set a rainbow in the clouds as a memorial […]

Acts 26:28-29  Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” And Paul said, “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.”   The Apostle Paul Paul was given the […]

  1 Samuel 1:27  “For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of Him.   Hannah’s Desire Hannah is a case study in maternal love.  She was childless and apparently in competition with another wife.  Her husband loved her even though she was childless.  The other wife […]

  2 Samuel 24:24  Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God with that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.   The […]

    Luke 19:32  So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them.   Loosing the donkey that the Lord Needed Can we depend upon what the Lord says?  The short answer is “yes.”  The long answer is that when it comes to the eternal blessings […]

Isaiah 61:1-2  “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of […]

    1 Samuel 10:24  And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” So all the people shouted and said “Long live the king!”   When the Lord chose Saul to be the first King of […]

Paul says: 1 Corinthians 15:3-4  For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.   The Lord says: Mark 8:31  And He began to […]

    Acts 13:38 “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins.”   Last Friday was the first day of spring.  It even felt like spring and smelled like spring.  After a hard cold winter when the wind has been howling and snow […]

    Mark 14:34 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.”   The Last Great Enemy Most people want to avoid death if at all possible.  Even Christians who say that they are not afraid to die tend to wear seat belts, they go to […]

    Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.   Aladdin’s Lamp In the Middle Eastern folk tales called “A […]

  Acts 17:30 “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.   Limiting the Gospel I have noticed over the years that there is always a tendency on the part of different groups of people to limit the Gospel.  Some limit it to ethnic groups.  Some limit it […]

Luke 8:11-15  “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. “Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, […]

  John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”   February 14 is Valentine’s Day.  It is the one day in the year when we tell our significant others that we love them.  And then that is supposed to carry them through another year.  I […]

  Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.   Human Counselors When people with “problems” go to counselors, they usually seek out those who […]

  Exodus 25:8  “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. “According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.” 1 Corinthians 3:16  Do you not know that you are the temple […]

   Matthew 13:24-25  Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; “but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.   The Enemy is at Work The Bible addresses the truth.  One […]

  2 Timothy 1:12  For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.   The Making of Many Books is only Wearisome Solomon, the preacher, admonished […]

    Luke 13:30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.   As we come to the end of another year, I think it is always wise to review the past year to see if there was anything in it that amounted to anything.  We […]

  Revelation 4:8  “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”   The Unanswerable Questions Some of us lay on our beds at night and ponder questions that simply have no rational answer.  One of them has to do with the question of how God can exist if He […]

    2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season.   I heard a good sermon this weekend.  One of the seven points had to do with Timothy fulfilling his ministry and keeping the main thing, the main thing.  I got to thinking, “Just what should the main thing […]

Lamentations 1:12 Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?  Behold and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which has been brought on me, which the LORD has inflicted in the day of His fierce anger.   This life is a life of contrasts.  It has hills and valleys.  It […]

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”   Eve had a choice.  She could believe God who had said she would die […]

    Romans 5:15  But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.   Does one man or one woman make a difference?  Yes they […]

2 Thessalonians 1:9  These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.   The two words “everlasting destruction” have been bothering me a great deal of late. In this letter to suffering Saints, Paul encourages them by telling them that their suffering at the […]

Luke 16:31 But he said to him, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead."   The Miracles of the Lord The Lord did unusual miracles when He was here on earth and those miracles made no difference to those who would not […]

The Scriptures including Paul’s writings are Inspired 2 Timothy 3:16  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Peter 3:15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to […]

Revelation 1:7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. God must be an Artist The God who created this world must be an artist.  He has created a lot of […]

Ecclesiastes 7:2 Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart. King Solomon as an Author King Solomon started out as a wise spiritual King.  He did not improve with age.  He […]

 King Ahab Didn’t Need to be Told! 1 Kings 22:15 Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall we refrain?” And he answered him, “Go and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king!” So […]

John 10:30 “I and My Father are one.” John 17:22 “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:   One God I believe in God:  the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  I do not believe in God the Father, God […]

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. The Adversary An adversary is an opponent, an enemy, a foe, one who […]

John 3:30  “He must increase, but I must decrease.”   Introduction   John the Baptist is an interesting study.  I have wondered if I would have been happy to have had his calling on my life.  How would I have liked to be the one to point out the sin of the nation of Israel?  […]

John 16:13  “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.   Divine Inspiration and Divine Interpretation The Scriptures are God breathed according to […]

  Revelation 1:1-3 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. […]

Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.   Accountability Accountability is taught throughout the Bible.  Christians […]

1 Timothy 2:4 (God our Savior) desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Is it really true? Many people say that they cannot believe the Bible and others say that they cannot believe God.  Why is it so hard to believe?  It is because we have to […]

 Matthew 16:13-16 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that […]

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing. The Importance of Prayer Prayer is an important subject. Whom we pray to indicates whom we trust and whom we worship. Prayer is a conversation with God. It can be supplication, intercession for others and praise. It can’t be properly done unless the supplicant believes that the God to […]

Job 12:2 “No doubt you are the people, And wisdom will die with you!   Life is full of Tragedy Recently, life in our corner of the world has been filled with tragedy.  God has been good to us personally, but people that we know have experienced unusual accidents illnesses and sorrows   I have noticed […]

2 Peter 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. Today all of us want to make our own mistakes and make them we do! We think we have become enlightened about moral issues and refuse […]

Matthew 3:17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” John 335 “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. John 8:29 “And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I […]

1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor […]

Psalm 30:5 Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. Definition Dictionary.com defines joy as the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation.  I know of two families who probably think that joy is going to be gone forever from their lives.  […]

Matthew 5: 5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Definition Humble and gentle are two words that are usually used to define the word meek.  Humble means not to be proud or arrogant.  So a meek person is not proud, self-assertive, or abusive in any way.  The Lord says that these […]

John 3:17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  Work, Purpose, Results Most of us who love the Lord love the Gospel as set forth in John 3:16-18.  I often say that John 3:16 tells us of the work […]

John 11:3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” (Love = tender affection of a friend) John 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. (Love = self-sacrificing devotion) John 11:5 These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus […]

2 Samuel 15:37 So Hushai, David’s friend, went into the city. And Absalom came into Jerusalem. David had sinned   He had confessed that sin, and the Lord had forgiven him.  However, He told David that there would be earthly consequences to murdering Uriah so he could have his wife.  When Absalom decides to rebel against […]

Luke 24:39 “Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” Some things are hard to believe.  People have a hard time believing that a great fish swallowed Jonah.  Some have trouble with the story […]

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. We who are believers in the Lord, believe that God is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing) and omnipresent (everywhere present).  As a result, when […]

Joshua 23:14-15: Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word […]

  Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. (NKJV) Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and […]

Luke 23:33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.  “Seeing” What Happened at Calvary that Day! When we preach sometimes we like to explain the meaning of the Scripture that we are reading.  Sometimes […]

  Revelation 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Time that never ends I have been thinking about how long forever and ever is.  It is time […]

Mark 4:23-24 “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. Introduction The Bible talks a lot about the way people hear or listen.  […]

Exodus 30:15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls. Each man had equal value When the children of Israel came out of Egypt they were numbered.  A census was taken […]

Exodus 19:8 Then all the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD. Exodus 24:3 So Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments. And all the people answered […]

Genesis 42: 18 Then Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God:  Joseph Fears God Joseph’s dream had finally come true.  He had been sold into slavery in Egypt because of the hatred of his brothers.  As a result, he had become second in command to Pharaoh.  God […]

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God. And this stone which […]

Ephesians 4:1-3:  I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Introduction God desires to see His people […]

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength (or the Rock of Ages). (Isaiah 26:3-4) Reflecting on the End of Another Year As we come to the end of another year, it […]

2Timothy 3:14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. Deception Abounds! As we get closer and closer to the Lord’s return, it is harder and harder to make sure that what we believe is true.  I can find news reports […]

James 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. Introduction Year’s ago, there was an ad by a fast food restaurant where the question was asked, “Where’s the beef?”  The ad implied that other […]

Isaiah 53:2   For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,  And as a root out of dry ground.  He has no form or comeliness;  And when we see Him,  There is  no beauty that we should desire Him.  Three things that we enjoy When we go on vacation, we like to do […]

James 4: 2-3  You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.  You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.  What is the Problem? The problem is […]

Psalm 107:8-9 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness. The Cost of Departure The children of Israel had rebelled against the Lord and had been taken into […]

Romans 3:18   “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”  Fear is from the Greek word phobos.  It is from a primary word phebomai (to be put in fear); alarm or fright.  The word has been translated:  be afraid, + exceedingly, fear, terror. Fear Defined and Explained Sometimes fear is looked at as reverence […]

Luke 19:41-43 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it,  saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.  For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment […]

Song of Solomon 2:10-13 10 My beloved spoke, and said to me:“Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away. 11 For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. 12 The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard […]

John 17:17 “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” Truth is difficult to recognize in this life.  A really good used car salesman can convince most of us that the car he wants to sell us is a cream-puff that will drive forever.  But of course he will also convince us that the […]

Psalms 37:4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Some years back I had a friend who was sick with cancer.  He and his wife and at least one friend all seemed to take courage from a promise made in one of the Psalms.  I think […]

James 4:14 Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.  My mom recently passed into the Lord’s presence at the age of 95.  In a few more weeks she would have been 96.  Up […]

2 Peter 3:12-13  Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Has there ever been […]

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 4:3 that the time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap […]

1 Corinthians 15:34  Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak  this  to your shame. 2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. […]

1 Corinthians 6:19-20   Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. Who in […]

Psalm 107:31 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! Four times over the writer of this Psalm repeats this desire of his heart.  We do not know for sure who wrote the Psalm, but we do know that whoever wrote […]

Matthew 4:4   But He answered and said, “It is written,  ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” The Lord had been fasting for forty days and forty nights.  Luke says that he ate nothing during this fast.  Both Luke and Matthew said he […]

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Some days a person hates to turn on the news because the moment we do we are bombarded with sin and its justification.  The heart of man has not changed since the fall of Adam.  But things that used to remain […]

2 Timothy 4:8  Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. Likely by now everyone knows the names of Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman.  My […]

Job 13:15  Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. The older we get, the more we know that we don’t know much.  God is all knowing.  Man is anything but.  We all think God should be like us, and do what we want […]

Esther 6:6  So Haman came in, and the king asked him, "What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?" Now Haman thought in his heart, "Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?" The little book of Esther in the old testament is one of the most captivating […]

Meditation for the week of June 9, 2013 John 14:5-6  Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?"  Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. How would we […]

Meditation for the week of May 26, 2013 "THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR HEARTS, AND IN THEIR MINDS I WILL WRITE THEM," then He adds, "THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE." (Hebrews […]

Meditation for the week of May 19, 2013 2 Kings 22:2:  And he (Josiah) did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. This is a refreshing commendation.  Josiah did what […]

Meditation for the week of May 12, 2013 John 3:36  He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." Mother’s produce children that they love.  The child that a mother brings into the world has […]

Meditation for the week of May 5, 2013 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. (Philippians 4:5) I like technology.  I especially like a program that we use on our computers at home called Skype.  That program has made it possible for us to call our family members and […]

Meditation for the week of April 28, 2013 Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: "O my son Absalom–my son, my son Absalom–if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!" (2 Samuel […]

Meditation for the week of April 21, 2013 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of […]

Meditation for the week of March 31, 2012 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12 Accountability is the name of the game in this life.  It is also the name of the game in the next.  We are all going to give account to the God who created […]

Meditation for the week of March 17, 2013 Mark 14:50  Then they all forsook Him and fled. 2 Timothy 4:16  At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. This is the time of the year when we remember the crucifixion and resurrection of […]

Meditation for the week of March 10, 2013 A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills– From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. (Psalms 121:1-2) Does our help come from the hills or does it come from the Lord?  Obviously, it […]

Meditation for the week of February 10, 2013 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  (John 3:17) I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.   […]

Meditation for the week of February 3, 2013 Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?"  (Matthew 21:23) The Lord had just made his “triumphal […]

Meditation for the week of January 26, 2013 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus […]

Meditation for the week of January 20, 2013 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. (Matthew 14:14) According to Dictionary.com, compassion is a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong […]

Meditation for the week of January 13, 2013 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." And he was called the friend of God. (James 2:23) Abraham was the friend of God.  He was the model that God uses to explain faith.  Yet when I […]

Meditation for the week of January 6, 2013 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. (Romans 3:19) Every so often I get a rather good email having to do with […]

Meditation for the week of December 30, 2012 Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." (Revelation 21:5) We are coming to a “new” year.  The designation of a new year on the calendar is really […]

Meditation for the week of December 23, 2012 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23) This is the gift giving season.  I have never figured out how worship of the Lord by the Magi who gave the Lord gifts of […]

Meditation for the week of December 9, 2012 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. (3 John 1:11) John, the aged apostle, must have been grieved to see the churches of God become organizations that […]

Meditation for the week of December 2, 2012 Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. (Matthew 7:6) Bible interpretation is an interesting art.  As we read commentaries and listen to preaching, it is […]

Meditation for the week of November 25, 2012 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s […]

Meditation for the week of November 18, 2012 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. (Malachi 3:16) And their sins and iniquities will […]

Meditation for the week of November 11, 2012 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) The Word in this verse is the Lord.  He is the way God has communicated to […]

Meditation for the week of November 4, 2012 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and […]

Meditation for the week of October 21, 2012 So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’ (Luke 19:13) The Lord has promised to come again.  One aspect of His second coming is given to us in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 where the church […]

Meditation for the week of October 14, 2012 the week of October 14, 2012 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  Matthew 16:24 Most people want to be leaders—they might not admit it, but facts are facts. […]

Meditation for the week of October 7, 2012 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.  (Hebrews 13:15) I see prayer as a conversation with God.  We talk to Him and He talks to us.  Sometimes He talks […]

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus,  (Ephesians 1:1) Does the phrase “faithful in Christ Jesus” describe a certain class of saints in Ephesus or is it further describing what it means to be a saint?   I have quoted […]

Meditation for the week of September 23, 2012 "But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. (Luke 15:22) The fact that a believer in the Lord Jesus has “Christ in Him (Colossians 1:27, Romans […]

Meditation for the week of September 16, 2012 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?" They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?" (John 1:38) Wouldn’t it be nice If we could invite God into our homes for dinner tonight?  […]

Meditation for the week of September 9, 2012 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth– those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. (John […]

Meditation for the week of August 26, 2012 Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, "Give us water, that we may drink." So Moses said to them, "Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the LORD?" (Exodus 17:2) Jesus said to him, "It is written again, ‘YOU SHALL NOT TEMPT THE […]

Meditation for the week of August 12, 2012 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness.  (1 Corinthians 1:22-23) Over the years I have tried to help people understand the Gospel who are fairly ignorant with regard […]

Meditation for the week of July 15, 2012 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. (Matthew 24:34-35) The message of the Bible is that all people need to […]

Meditation for the week of June 24, 2012 I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may […]

Meditation for the week of June 17, 2012 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.  (1 John 3:15) Recently I was in a Starbucks coffee shop.  They were playing Johnny Cash’s “25 minutes to Go.”  It is gruesome song about a man about […]

Meditation for the week of June 3, 2012 Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions. (1 Kings 10:1) Solomon had wisdom and power and riches.  Did I mention that he had wisdom?  He seemed to have […]

Meditation for the week of May 27, 2012 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  (Matthew 24:6) There are some things that I wish I could forget.  My family and I made […]

Meditation for the week of May 20, 2012 What is your beloved More than another beloved, O fairest among women? What is your beloved More than another beloved, That you so charge us? (Song of Solomon 5:9) Expositors differ on the interpretation of this beautiful love poem.  Some think Solomon is the man wooing the […]

Meditation for the week of May 13, 2012 Then they served it to the men to eat. Now it happened, as they were eating the stew, that they cried out and said, "Man of God, there is death in the pot!" And they could not eat it. So he said, "Then bring some flour." And […]

Meditation for the week of May 6, 2012 Titus 3:7  that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. What does ETERNAL life mean to us?  Surely it is a never ending life, but it is more than that.  The unsaved die and exist for eternity, […]

Meditation for the week of April 29, 2012 2 Corinthians 13:12  Greet one another with a holy kiss Luke 22:48  But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" 2 Samuel 15:5  And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him (Absalom), that he […]

Meditation for the week of April 15, 2012 Matthew 23:13  "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Many of us who preach the Gospel like to keep […]

Meditation for the week of April 1, 2012 Luke 5:20  When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." How can we SEE faith?  Faith is a matter of the heart.  The Ethiopian official was told that if he believed with all his heart he could be baptized (Acts […]

Meditation for the week of March 18, 2012 Mark 14:48-50  Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?  I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the Scriptures MUST be fulfilled."  Then they […]

Meditation for the week of Week of February 19, 2012 Psalms 56:3  Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You (The Most High God). David was running from Saul.  Saul should have been his friend since David had served Him faithfully.  However, Saul knew that David was God’s choice to replace him on the […]

Meditation for the week of February 12, 2012 Luke 5:8  When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" When Simon Peter was called to follow the Lord, he obviously didn’t feel “holy” enough to do that.  The Lord had used […]

Meditation for the week of February 5, 2012 Galatians 1:8  But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. Preaching an accurate faithful Gospel is important to the Lord and it needs to be important to us.  When […]

Meditation for the week of January 29, 2012 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them […]

Meditation for the week of July 22, 2012 And the King will answer and say to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25:40) This world is filled with hate and prejudice.  Competition instead of cooperation […]