Living By The Word

   “ Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:12) A cornerstone of Christian doctrine is the necessity of bloodshed for the release from the guilt and penalty of sin. “W ithout shedding of blood there is no remission. ” (Hebrews 9:22) This biblical principle dates back to the dawn of creation when an innocent animal’s shed blood, in which is the life, was required to obtain skins that God fashioned into garments for Adam and Eve when they became aware of their nakedness after sinfully eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. God’s act of mercy and love despite mankind’s rebelliousness against Him predated the system of animal sacrifices for the temporary atonement of sin that was deeply ingrained in the culture of ancient Israel, pointing to the cross and the ultimate, sinless sacrifice of Jesus Christ! The crucifixion of Christ was ...

“ J esus answered them… These things I have spoken to you, that   in Me you may have peace.   In the world you w ill have tribulation; but be of good cheer,   I have overcome the world.” (John 16, 31, 33) One of my favorite lines in classic literature opens Charles Dickens’ famous novel A Tale of Two Cities with a striking contrast . This literary masterpiece begins with the catchy phrase, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times .” That profound statement seems to me to be especially applicable to these tumultuous and freighting times in which we live, especially from the perspective of Christians who seek to spread the good news of the gospel of salvation in a dark, sinister world that is rapidly rejecting God and the truth and wisdom of His Word. The magnitude of the moral decay, death, disease, and destruction that define modern culture is appalling to many of us. Despite facing perhaps ‘the worst of times’ that my generation has ever witnessed, we ...

  “A nd be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but   gives grace to the humble.”” (1 Peter 5:5)                    An abomination that God hates, pride is the pathway to destruction and despair! Arrogant attitudes and haughty hearts can bring promising lives and lofty dreams crashing down in dismal defeat. A prime example is the selfish pride that prompted God to cast Satan out of heaven. The highest of all angels and the most beautiful of God’s creations, Satan (Lucifer) demonstrated his all-encompassing pride and his self-exaltation in a series of “I will” statements . “ I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God…I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.” (Isaiah 14:13-14) Satan seeks to puff up human pride in order to bring about our fall from the grace that God gives those who are humble at heart. Pride certainly went before Satan’s fall, ...

  “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) We all know how frustrating it can be when we receive a gift or buy a product that requires assembly. The manufacturer clearly directs us to “Read the directions!” However, trusting in our own understanding rather than the expertise of the maker of the product, we usually toss this enabling information aside and ignore the step-by-step instructions. Unfortunately, we often have to learn the hard way that we would have been much better off if we’d taken time to read the directions! To draw a spiritual parallel, sadly, many of us do the same thing when it comes to God’s Word. We ignore the directions of life that come directly from the Giver of life! We fail to depend upon God and seek to do it our way. To...

  “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” (James 4:10) “If I could save time in a bottle…” wishfully pondered the late pop singer Jim Croce in a classic 1970s song. That lyric line speaks of the reality that time is a fixed resource that can slip away before we realize it’s gone. Thus, we should seek to be good stewards of each of the fleeting moments with which God blesses us each day. The brevity of life demands that we seek divine guidance in order to make the most of every opportunity to love and serve God and other people. Reflecting on our Christian lives, all of us have faced hardships and trials that God often uses to test our faith and help us to grow spiritually. Nevertheless, we’ve all been richly blessed by a gracious God who loves us more than our human comprehension can grasp. Our earthly lives are indeed a vanishing vapor, but God has promised believers that by faith in Jesus Christ, we c...

“But the  Lord  is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him.”  (Habakkuk 2:20) It has become increasingly difficult to find peace and quiet in a world polluted by the noise and clamor of 21 st century life. Blaring music, honking horns, blasting sirens, riotous confrontations, blatant political rhetoric, babbling gossip, harsh language, and piercing alarms are among the myriad of noisy distractions that are common in the rush of today’s fast-paced, bustling world. The deafening, decibel-soaring roar that is commonly heard in many football stadiums or other sports venues is an appropriate way for a massive crowd of avid fans to inspire the home team, but it is not conducive to seeking God and discovering His will which is essential in our daily walk of faith as Christians. “And after the earthquake a fire,  but  the  Lord   was  not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” (1 Kings 19:12) In the m...