Month: July 2012

Dealing with the important issue of forgiveness

Nobody’s perfect. In fact, Romans 3:23 says “. . . all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” But for some, the weight of guilt keeps them from accepting a life with Christ.

A New Day

In a morning meeting I recently attended, the person who opened the gathering began by praying, “Lord, thanks for today. It is the beginning of a new day we have never seen before.” Although the idea seemed obvious, that prayer got me thinking about a couple of different things. First, because each day is a new opportunity, it will be filled with things we cannot anticipate or even prepare for. Therefore, it’s important that we recognize our limitations and lean heavily on God—intentionally choosing to live in His grace and strength rather than relying on our own resources.

Are New Testament References to Jewish Persecution of Jesus and the Church True?

How do we know that New Testament references to Jewish persecution of Jesus and the Apostolic Church weren’t written by later editors (redactors) who wanted to blame the Jews for the death of Jesus?

Are Horror Movies Just Entertainment?

Are horror movies just entertainment?

Are Homosexual or Pedophilic Desires Sinful?

Are homosexual or pedophilic desires sinful?

Are Funeral Customs in the US Biblical?

What, if any, is the biblical basis for the funeral customs practiced today in North America?

Are All Jews Perpetually and Universally Responsible for Christ’s Death?

Matthew 27:25 says, “Then the people as a whole answered, ‘His blood be on us and on our children!’ ” Does this verse imply that all Jews are perpetually and universally responsible for Christ’s death?

Am I Sinning When I Feel Attracted to Someone of the Opposite Sex?

Am I sinning when I feel strongly attracted to a charming person of the other gender?

Am I a Weak Person Headed for an Abusive Marriage?

Am I a weak person headed for an abusive marriage?

Unseen Blessings

By Lau Jya-Yhin, 19, Malaysia I had just started my part-time job as an assistant in a dental clinic in Penang, Malaysia. One day, I was appointed to prepare small finger-like cotton rolls with a pile of soft cotton wool while the dentist was on leave. As I sat in my seat observing how the [...]

The Offering Plate

Ed Dobson, my former pastor, often said that he disliked preaching about financial giving to the church. He said his previous job required fundraising, so he didn’t like putting any unnecessary pressure on people. But when he was teaching through 2 Corinthians, and he came to chapters 8 and 9, he couldn’t avoid the topic of giving. What I remember most about his sermon was the illustration he used. He placed an offering plate on the floor, stepped into it, and stood there as he talked about the importance of giving our whole selves to the Lord, not just our wallets.