The standard of what is acceptable in religion for many is whether it satisfies the individual. Many "shop" for a religion that meets their personal preferences, treating the Scriptures as a salad bar-- picking things they like and passing over others. Many declare satisfaction with the course they have chosen in religion without ever considering the question, "Is God satisfied with my religion?" The whole conclusion is not, serve God as you please, but "Fear God and keep His commandments" (Eccl. 12:13). Our purpose in daily activities and in worship should be to strive to please God. Those who truly…

Recently, I attended this year’s Truth Lectures, which had as their theme eschatology, the study of the end times. Many of the lectures addressed preterism, the belief that the prophecies of the Bible all already have happened. In particular, preterists claim that the prophecies about the final judgment, the resurrection of the dead, and the dissolution of the physical universe were fulfilled (in a figurative sense) during the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

I believe that preterists are correct to recognize the importance of the first-century destruction of the temple and the downfall of the Jewish nation. In many ways,…

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Yes, really — there are lies in the Bible. There’s no use in denying it. In fact, those lies are there for a good reason.

The Bible is a collection of divinely inspired books. God, who cannot lie (Titus 1:2), guided men to write down His revealed truth (cf. John 16:13-14; 2 Peter 1:20-21). However, what those inspired men wrote includes history. That history often records statements made by people who were not speaking at God’s direction. Some of those statements were well-intentioned, some were not. And some were just plain old…

“One of Satan’s great deceptions is convincing lost people they are not lost. A second deception is convincing Christians that lost people are not truly lost,” wrote cultural apologist and author, Jim Denison, in a recent post on his web page the Denison Forum.

Universalism is a philosophical and theological doctrine that basically believes and teaches that everyone will be saved and spend eternity with God in heaven, regardless of their religious or spiritual beliefs.

In 2018 Michael McClymond wrote a book entitled The Devil’s Redemption: A New History and Interpretation of Christian Universalism in which he denounced the rising popularity of…

    Procrastination is the act of delaying some action.  The word comes from the Latin word procrastinus,  which takes the prefix pro meaning “forward” and the word crastinus  meaning  “of tomorrow”.   It has been described as delay or intentional delay.  Many of us procrastinate doing chores around the house, taking the car for an oil change, cutting the grass, doing your taxes, writing a report, studying for an exam, and many other things.

    Delay is mentioned in the Scriptures some 35 times.  Most of the Scriptures indicate a lack of delay or without delay. Examples of this are:

• Deuteronomy 23:21…

    Our Vacation Bible School begins one week from tomorrow!  This work has become a special part of our summer and one that was greatly missed in 2020.  It is sure to be another week full of creative Bible instruction, spirited singing, and special memories. We hope that our people, both young and old alike, are making their plans to participate in this year’s event.

    Vacation Bible School has a place for everyone.  It has a place for those who can help prepare materials and decorations in the weeks and months leading up.  It has a place for those who…

    As Christians, we should desire to spread the gospel and grow spiritually.  After all, that is how we “Rise Up and Build”.  But what tools do we have to accomplish this task?  And how do we utilize them to best spread the “Good News” of Jesus Christ, while also enhancing our own relationship with God?  We all know about communication technologies such as FaceBook, YouTube, Instagram, Zoom, Twitter, etc., which are good resources, but the real tools available to us are more than these.  Our desire should be to pursue the following.

    A Desire to Study the Bible –…

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God has made it clear not only that He wants us to pray, but also to trust that our prayers can have great impact. To this end, the apostle Paul admonished Christians to “pray without ceasing” (I Thessalonians 5:17) and the writer James stated, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (5:16b ESV). A life devoted to prayer with a faith that trusts these prayers are heard by the Lord should build confidence in His children!

As the apostle Peter was about to undergo a time of testing, the Lord Jesus made a powerful statement…

    Do you recall the last time you made a long road trip to a place you have never been?  Or, maybe, navigated the stores at the newest shopping center?  Or, perhaps, the convoluted paths at an amusement park?  How did you make the trip?  What did you need to know?  What tools did you consult?

    Whether you are making a road trip, shopping the newest mall, or navigating the paths at Disney World, there are three basic things you must know to successfully make the trip.  First, you must know your planned destination.  Second, you must know your starting…

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