Living By The Word

“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...

  “Yours, O  Lord , is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O  Lord , and You are exalted as head over all.” (1 Chronicles 29:11) When I look skyward on a starry night and consider the incomprehensible vastness of the universe; when I survey the panorama of picturesque mountaintop vistas; when I am awestruck by the relentless power of the ocean waves crashing onto sandy beaches; when I see a grateful mother gently caress her newborn babe with loving arms; when I behold the stunning beauty of all of God’s magnificent works, I marvel not as much at the creation as I do the Creator. My eyes are enchanted, my soul is stirred, and my heart is humbled by these breathtaking natural wonders that irrefutably proclaim God’s timeless existence and His matchless glory. “What is man that You are mindful of him,   and the son of man that Yo...

“ Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. ” (Ephesians 4:29) One blessing that is absolutely necessary in order to live a Christian lifestyle in an ungodly world is encouragement. Let’s face it—life is tough! The road sometimes gets rocky! We all face trials and hardships along the way! Without the support and inspiration of other people, we can quickly become discouraged as we seek to live in a manner that pleases God. The encouragement of our families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and other people makes facing life’s difficulties and challenges much easier. A great source of encouragement for Christians is a loving church family whose members offer uplifting support that is crucial in the pursuit of our mission to share the love and shine the light of Jesus Christ into a world that grows darker by the day. “But exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,”   lest ...

  “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23) We live in a world of growing unfaithfulness in human relationships. This relative lack of loyalty and commitment is seen in broken marriages, shady business dealings, unresponsiveness of elected officials to the best interests of their constituents, and other avenues of daily life. In a culture where reliability, steadfastness, and accountability are often lacking, it is refreshing that Christians can count on a God who is faithful to keep His promises. We serve a God of goodness who is faithful by His divine nature. Here are just a few of the ways in which God is faithful to His children, according to Scripture. God the Father is faithful: • To forgive our confessed sins. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) • To deliver us from evil. “But the Lord is faithful, who will est...

  “ Let   nothing   be done   through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.   Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. ” (Philippians 2:3-4) We sometimes fall far short, but living the Christian life should be all about moving toward selfless humility in our relationships and dealings with others. Selfish pride is part of the innate sinful nature that we have inherited as human beings. We all know how selfish young children can be. Throughout their infancy, they claim material things and the affections of their parents as their own and don’t want to share them with their siblings or other toddlers. They express that selfishness with outbursts of weeping, wailing, and whimpering or other annoying expressions of distress. Parents are charged with the enormous responsibility of properly nurturing their youngsters, teaching them to care, share and con...

  “Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it.” (Song of Solomon 8:7) On this day dedicated to love and affection, we celebrate the greatest of all virtues. As we honor our sweethearts on this Valentine’s Day, let’s remember that God is the source of love for it is the essence of who He is. As we express our love for those that we hold dear with gifts of flowers, candy, romantic dinners, and other expressions of our affection, we must remember to give God His rightly-deserved place of highest priority in our hearts and lives as our first love! Let’s seek to love our risen L ORD Jesus Christ with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength for He first loved us and died sacrificially for mankind’s sins so that believers can receive God’s grace and His most precious gifts of salvation and everlasting life. The epitome of love, Christ set the supreme example for us to follow in our earthly relationships. He gave His life for us, His friends, that, Scripture says,...