“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23, NKJV It is always interesting to me when I hear someone say that they are “speaking from their heart.” What they mean is that they are honest, sincere and passionate about a certain matter. If they are very […]
Isaiah prophesied that the coming Messiah would be a “light to the Gentiles” and bring “salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isa. 49:6). In the New Testament, Simeon having been promised by the Spirit that he would see the Messiah before his death, recognized that the Child Jesus was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy […]
Recently retired with our five children scattered over many states, my wife Kathy and I wanted to be used for God’s glory in whatever time He gives us. To live in Florida was always our dream but after a few years of praying for the Lord’s leading, He opened the doors for us to return […]
“For he that is dead is freed from sin.” (Rom. 6:7) The Emancipation Proclamation, issued on January 1, 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln, declared all slaves in the Southern Confederacy to be free.1 However it was dependent upon the North winning the on-going Civil War. In Romans 6:7 we have the believer’s Emancipation Proclamation grounded […]
Orthodox theologians have universally agreed that Jesus Christ never committed any sin. He was sinless, blameless, and holy. The sinlessness of the Lord Jesus Christ is an absolute necessity for the efficacy of His penal, substitutionary death and is a decisive proof of His deity. Any moral failure on the part of Christ would compromise […]
Everywhere I look across the church landscape, I see Christians seething with bitterness. It seems to be an epidemic, especially among the younger generations. These hurting souls are nursing wrongs, sometimes old, sometimes new, sometimes real, sometimes perceived. Frequently, these wounded believers are not looking for an apology. They have already received one, or two, […]
Psalms 37:23 reads, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and He delighteth in his way.” My father grew up in East St. Louis, but moved to Michigan during the early 1900s. Through the faithful witness of someone in the local Baptist church, he trusted Christ as Savior. Aspiring to become […]
The ancient Greek maxim “Know thyself” is elevated to unprecedented heights in this narcissistic age. Numerous social media platforms aid fallen human beings’ self-absorption by advertising their vain self-worth. Sin turns them inward, exalting them to heights...
We read in Revelation 2:4-5, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Though the Lord […]
“O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” 2 Chron. 20:12, NKJV When Jehoshaphat received the distressing news that a number of enemy nations were coming against him, […]
Three biblical words are used in the New Testament to identify men overseeing the spiritual matters of the local church. Though each word describes the same role, they individually highlight specific features of their responsibility. The first word is “elder” (presbuteros), literally meaning an older man1, underlining his competence (Acts 14:23; 20:17; 1 Tim. 5:17; […]
David Gooding (September 16, 1925 – August 30, 2019) ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” Rev. 14:13 My Personal Recollection of Dr. David Gooding I first had the privilege of hearing brother David Gooding’s ministry at the 1990 […]
A person may be a citizen of a country and commit treason or in some way embarrass their nation on the world stage. This type of activity may result in punishment but one does not cease to be a citizen of their own country. In the same way, our children may rebel against our authority, […]
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14 At a time when the empire of Assyria was bulldozing nations, Isaiah boldly proclaimed the coming of the victorious virgin-born child. Assyria was on the rise but so was […]
“O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. Psalms 51:5, NKJV Witnessing has always been very close to my heart. Someone said that sharing the gospel can be defined very simply as one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. Sometimes we see videos or photographs of starving adults […]
“..to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” Isa. 61:1 Life’s Key is a prison ministry committed to the Lord Jesus Christ for the purpose of providing current and ex-offenders (men and women) an opportunity to study the word of God, and receive spiritual guidance through […]
“Be diligent to present thyself approved to God – a workman irreproachable, rightly dividing the Word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15, Young’s Literal Translation In His wisdom, our God has placed what we might consider three “sentinels” in His Word – one at the beginning, one in the middle, and one at the end (Deut. […]
A familiar hymn states: “Change and decay in all around I see; O Thou who changest not abide with me.” It seems that nothing is exempt from the relentless forces of change in us and around us. But God is! Malachi 3:6 says, “For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore, you are […]
“We have seen His Star… and have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:2 In my younger years, I spent a lot of time looking at the night sky through my relatively inexpensive but adequately-empowered amateur telescope. I was fascinated with what this basic astronomical apparatus could bring in from the heavens above. I still remember […]
At the start of a regional Missionary Study Class, I asked for all missionaries present to show their hands. There were a few who did. I chose to begin with this exercise to set the stage for re-defining the term “missionary” from a biblical perspective. What is a...