THE BRONZE SERPENT AND UNANSWERED PRAYERS
(Jacob Hudgins)
As the Israelites approach the land of Canaan, they "became impatient on the way" (Num. 21:4). They begin to criticize God and Moses: "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food"(Num 21:5). Fed up with their complaining, Jehovah sends "fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died"(Num 21:6).
This has an immediate impact. The disposition of the…
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Satan wants you to worry as he calls your sins to mind. In John 8:44, we are told that he is the father of lies. Let God’s Word give you peace as you read what He says about you:
- You are His most valuable creation and prized possession. “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all He created” (James 1:18). The God who shaped heaven and earth, speaking them into existence and forming them with His hands, regards you as His best work. Your soul is that…
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James 1:18 affirms, “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all He created.” You are God’s most valuable creation, His prized possession. Why, then, do we, as Christians, wrestle with idolatry? Our occupational callings, past time hobbies, or anything we give importance to more than Jesus Christ is an idol. In the account of the rich man in Luke 18:23, upon being told to sell everything he had and follow Jesus, we are told, “he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.” When you have…
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What a wonderful time to be a member of our church! As we begin 2023 there is so much to be thankful for. This past year has seen tremendous growth in our group with new baptisms, and new members, to babies and lots of exciting energy to start the new year! It has been such an encouragement to me to see so many people striving to put the Lord first in their lives and that energy is infectious and a wonderful thing for the Lord's Church. The Elders have selected a most fitting theme, “We Are One,” to enter…
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“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13, KJV).
The last part of this verse has been a challenge for translators. In Hebrew it would literally read, “this is the whole of man.” Not surprisingly, various Bible versions have differed slightly in rendering the sense of the phrase. And a brief look at how they render it leads me to three observations about the need to “fear God and keep His commandments.”
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God warns us to be careful of what we say. “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise” (Proverbs 10:19). “Every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). “No one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison” (James 3:8). Few things have as much potential for harm as our power of speech.
At the same time, God warns us not to be overly sensitive to what…
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One of the most profound and beautiful stories in the Bible is the account of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples in John 13. The event happened just before the Passover meal, where Jesus would ultimately be betrayed by one of His own disciples. As Jesus and His disciples gathered in an upper room, Jesus surprised them by taking on the role of a servant and washing their feet. There are many lessons that can be learned from this account and they are as relevant today as they were over 2,000 years ago.
Lesson 1: Serving others is never…
