1st century Christianity in the 21st century
Laws that threaten religious freedom rarely begin by banning sermons. They begin with the redefinition of words — especially words like harm, hate, safety, truth, tolerance, and inclusion. Over time, those redefinitions reshape what a society considers acceptable speech, and eventually, what it is willing to tolerate from people of faith.
Continue reading “Speaking the Truth in Love – and Under Scrutiny”
One of the last Bible discussions I had with my dear friend, Sean Cavender, addressed this question. As the children of God, we have the wonderful hope of an eternal home in the presence of God, where the pain and sorrow of this life are no more, where we are joint heirs with our blessed Saviour, and where the victory of immortality is won (John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; Romans 8:15-23; 1 Corinthians 15:50-57; Revelation 21:1-7). These are wonderful things which the faithful anticipate, but understandably, the question of recognition and remembrance of our loved ones is frequently pondered in the minds of the elect. Will we know one another in heaven?
Continue reading “Will We Recognize One Another in Heaven?”Folks will ask many important questions in life, but none is more important than this: What must I do to be saved? It was the question on the hearts of the people in Jerusalem at Pentecost when they realized they had killed the Saviour (Acts 2:37). Saul of Tarsus, stopped on the road to Damascus asked this of the Lord Jesus (Acts 9:6). And the jailer in Philippi asked the same of Paul and Silas, who were prisoners in his jail (Acts 16:30). There is no more important question to ask, and we want to be sure the answer we get is biblical and complete.
Continue reading “The Important Question: What Must I Do To Be Saved?”
Our last article focused on what is typically referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer.” Therein, Jesus gave an example of prayer for His disciples (Matthew 6:9-13). Now we turn our attention to John 17, which is a more extensive prayer from our Lord. The prayer breaks down into three sections:
Matthew 6:9-13 contains a section of text which has been dubbed, “The Lord’s Prayer.” The thought is certainly not that it was a rarity for Jesus to pray, for as we’ve discussed previously, Jesus was constant in prayer. Nor is the idea that Jesus desired for His disciples or any other to use His words as a periodical recital. In fact, He cautioned His disciples about vain repetitions shortly before wording this prayer (v 7). This is an example of how to pray. It is given to model or display prayer to His followers – a short and simple prayer which would serve as a starting place for those who seek to learn to pray.
Continue reading “Helpful Insights from “The Lord’s Prayer” – Praying Like Jesus”
Blueprints and patterns are exceptionally important. Indeed, contractors, tailors, cabinet makers, and people in other design-based vocations rely upon them daily. It provides a plan to follow in the building and asssembling process to minimize errors and ensure uniformity in production. Whether it be houses, dresses, furniture, cars, muffins, etc., if the same pattern is followed, then the final product will have brand consistency. This concept is also seen in the New Testament Church.
Continue reading “Following God’s Blueprint for the New Testament Church”The disciples requested of Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). Among the things Jesus taught about prayer is what we should pray for. Let’s learn from the Lord.
Continue reading “Helpful Insights into the Content of Our Prayer – Praying Like Jesus”We continue our series looking at Jesus’ example of and teachings about prayer. Today we’ll focus on the power of prayer. Our Lord emphasized the need for us to pray in faith, the importance of prayer as we endeavour to overcome temptation and sin, and the value of prayer as we seek to not lose heart amidst trials and troubles in life. Let’s learn from the Lord.
Continue reading “Discovering The True Power of Prayer – Praying Like Jesus”In Matthew 6, Jesus provided His disciples with an example of prayer (v 9-13). Eventually in our series looking at prayer we will devote an article to looking at the Lord’s prayer as worded in Matthew 6. However, herein we want to examine the verses just preceding the prayer. In Matthew 6:5-8, Jesus gave several important principles which will help us to pray as we ought.
Continue reading “Practical Prayer Principles from the Sermon on the Mount – Praying Like Jesus”One of the many blessings experienced by the apostles during the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry was the opportunity to hear Him pray. In Luke 11:1, one of His disciples requested, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” In the immediate context, Jesus gave an example of prayer, what is typically dubbed “The Lord’s Prayer.” The request infers the disciple considered Jesus to be an expert, proficient in prayer. Indeed, there is no one more qualified to teach someone how to pray. He was their perfect example of prayer – He is our perfect example of prayer. Let us learn from Jesus’ prayer life.
Continue reading “Learning from Jesus’ Prayer Life – Praying Like Jesus”