Delightful Desires When we look around it seems like the wicked are becoming more prosperous, while those who seek to do right and live their lives based upon God’s word and ways are struggling. But God tells us not to give this a second thought, because their ending will be devastating. “Do not fret because […]

Freedom Not to Indulge While Paul says we’ve been called to liberty, we don’t have the liberty to sin. “Do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh.” (Galatians 5:13b) In this instance, flesh isn’t what covers our body; rather it’s symbolic for humanity’s sinful nature. It’s a twisted nature centered upon self and […]

Freedom’s Principle of Love The freedom we enjoy is never to be used as an excuse for indulgence. Freedom is not a permission slip allowing us to do whatever we please. Too often I’ve heard people say they know what they were doing is wrong, but God will forgive them anyway. This is not freedom; […]

Freedom’s Principle of Influence There are legitimate reasons to limit our freedoms so that we don’t hurt someone else. In the Corinthian church a debate that was raging over what a person could and couldn’t eat, specifically meat that was on sale because had been offered as a sacrifice to the different gods of that […]

Remember and Forget We are told to remember our past so that we can care for those who are in need. “You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this thing.” (Deuteronomy 24:18) God gave this as a […]

Wisdom Belongs to God One of God’s attributes is that He knows it all; it’s called, “Omniscient,” or “All Knowing.” In other words, the whole of wisdom is wrapped up in God. Job said, “To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.” (Job 12:13) The Apostle Paul said, “Oh, the depth of […]

Don’t Shoot the Messenger There’s an old adage saying, “Don’t shoot the messenger.” Just because you don’t like what the messenger is saying is no reason to hate the messenger. This is especially true in the Apostle Paul’s case. “Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16) The Galatians […]

Being Rightly Zealous There is good and bad zeal. What are you zealous for, and is it good or bad. What is zeal? The word zeal means to be filled with intense enthusiasm. It’s being enthusiastically devoted to and diligently furthering a cause, ideal, or goal. But are we enthusiastic about the right thing? It’s […]

The Peace God Gives Peace With God “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27) The peace of the world is the cessation of war, that is, an end […]

Empty Handed More often than not we spiritualize God’s word making it fit our need rather than allowing it to change our thoughts and behaviors. We change the practical teaching of God’s word so we can use it in whatever way to fit our need. This is the case regarding our verse today as it […]