We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. —I Thessalonians 2:4 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a…

Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. —Acts 18:6 Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done? (Psalm 24:11-12). The apostle Paul sought to share the rescuing message of the gospel with multitudes. The verse above in context tells us that “Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah” (Acts 18:5). When they rejected the…

In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” —Acts 17:30-31 “Man the lifeboats!” This was a command from the captain and not an optional “Get in the lifeboats if you feel like it.” The ship was going down and it was going down quick. The captain’s command was sharp, concise and there was great concern in his voice. Only a few people took the command seriously and quickly…

So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. —Acts 16:5 The soil was very fertile from the cattle that used to graze on the land for years. You could see the garden plants strengthened day by day in that soil. The number of blossoms that appeared on the plants grew each day as well. The harvest would be plentiful. According to this verse in context Paul was going from town to town delivering to churches the decision agreed upon by the apostles and elders at a council that took place in Jerusalem (Acts 15). Upon hearing the Word from Paul we are told that two…

They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. —Acts 15:39 Ever been in such a sharp disagreement that you and the person you were disagreeing with went your separate ways? Sometimes people feel so strongly about a situation that they are willing to part ways over it. It can take place with a family member, a relative, in the workplace or at school and in the church. It can happen with people you have known for a brief time or that you have known for decades. The context of the verse above is speaking about Paul and Barnabas. These two men had served together, had been close to…

In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. —Acts 14:8-10 It is fun to watch the progression of children’s motor abilities from infancy. As a baby they mostly just lay on their back cooing or crying, helpless. Then they get to a point where they can roll over. Eventually up on their arms or hands to start pushing their…

“Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you: “ ‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’ ” —Acts 13:38-41 Get on the lifeboats! Quick, the ship is sinking! Many laughed, saying, “Ah, it is only a drill.” The warning came again and again, but…

What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. —James 4:14 I look out my window and see the changing color of the leaves. It is a beautiful time of year with the various colors against a backdrop of deep blue sky. The air is crisp, but the sun is warm. Leaves are falling from the trees and the daylight hours are getting much shorter. Autumn is upon us again. Another year passing by— my 59th autumn. But, it seems just the other day I was playing in the dirt as a child… The early morning lake mist disappears quickly once the…

Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. —James 3:4 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. —James 3:7-8 Man can guide massive vehicles with very little instruments. An oil tanker, the Seawise Giant, was in service from 1979-2009. It was 1504.1 feet long, weighed 260, 851 gross tons and was guided by a 230 ton rudder. Today the…

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? —James 2:14 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. —James 2:17 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. —James 2:22 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. —James 2:26 He said he was a carpenter, but he never did any carpentry work. She said she was a doctor, but she never did any medical work. The boy…