Those of us who have lost a loved one to disease or have loved ones who are fighting an illness, or who dread its possible return, may sometimes feel as though we're about to be overwhelmed with fear, or that God has abandoned us or doesn't care about our battles. But God's love for us is not wishful thinking. It is not a mirage in the desert of life on earth. HE REALLY DOES LOVE US, AND HE UNDERSTANDS. The Bible tells us, "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18). If you or a loved one are facing disease, or as you mourn one whose life ended becau... View More...
How wonderful that you have become a Christian by receiving Jesus Christ as your personal Savior This is the most important decision of your entire life. To grow spiritually it is helpful to know the important truths taught in the Bible. Read these nine core truths, then look up the related Scriptures and study them. The Bible The Bible is God's Word. It teaches the history of mankind's creation and fall, and the promise of salvation through Christ. Psalm 119:105 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 Isaiah 40:8 2 Peter 1:19-21 God God is eternal, infinite, unchanging, holy, sovereign, loving, just, all-knowing... View More...
COMFORT FROM THE BIBLEIn the Bible God promises comfort to all who put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.When you are troubled... "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28When you are lonely... "Fear thou not; for I am with thee. Be not dismayed; for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness." Isaiah 41:10When you are anxious... "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto Go... View More...
Have You Been Born Again? A Jewish religious leader named Nicodemus once visited Jesus. Like many people, Nicodemus expected that his good life would earn him a home in Heaven when he died. Imagine how he felt when Jesus said to him, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). Jesus explained to Nicodemus that the new birth is a spiritual change that can only be brought about by God. The moment a lost sinner repents of his sins and trusts Jesus as the only one who can save him from the eternal judgment of his sins, he is born again. God gives him a spiritual na... View More...
The "Lord's Prayer" is how Jesus taught his disciples to pray. And by his example, he showed them the need for time alone with the Father in prayer. We too must set aside time to talk with God and read his Word. The following are suggestions for your time with God: 1. NECESSITY OF PRAYER. Jesus taught that prayer is not an option--something to do when we "feel like it"--it is a God-given responsibility. Few of us "find time" to pray, but we must make the time (Ephesians 5:16). 2. THE BIBLE. The Bible and prayer go hand in hand. Pray as you read, and meditate on God's Word as you pray. As yo... View More...
Conception: Life begins Life begins at conception as a single, separate, living cell. Nothing new is added except oxygen and nutrition. Fertilization occurs when a sperm and ovum join to form a single cell, full of life and bearing the unique genetic imprint of a person who has never existed before. The DNA in the 46 chromosomes of that small cell contain full instructions about that new individual's sex, eye color, foot size, brain capacity, and other physical traits. 1 week: Implantation On about the sixth day, the growing baby attaches to the wall of the mother's uterus. That rich nutrient... View More...
The story is told of a judge presiding at a court in the poorest section of a city. It was a bitterly cold night during the hardest years of the Great Depression. A haggard, shabbily dressed old woman was brought before the judge. Charged with having stolen a loaf of bread, she made no attempt to deny the charges. Her daughter's husband had abandoned the family, she said. Her daughter was sick, and her two grandchildren were starving. However, the victimized shopkeeper refused to drop the charges. He felt he needed to set an example for a bad neighborhood. The judge let out a deep sigh. Lookin... View More...
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. (... View More...
Why Trust the Bible? Don't believe everything you read. Everybody knows that. So why trust the Bible? What can be known about its historical reliability? Doing History Even more than other religions, Christianity presents itself as history. At its heart, Christianity claims that something extraordinary happened in the course of time--something concrete, real, and historical. In the Bible, the New Testament declares that a man named Jesus was born to a virgin, claimed to be God, did miracles like walking on water and raising people from the dead, was crucified on a Roman cross, then rose from t... View More...
Over the years I have talked to thousands of people who have asked me how to find their way to God. Some have sat in church pews all their lives but never come to personally know God. Others have sought for ultimate meaning in all sorts of ways but never found the peace of mind for which they were searching. Some simply realize that there is something vital missing in their lives. The Bible teaches that this sense of lostness is rooted in the fact that we live in a fallen world.We are all handicapped by a sin nature: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). And despi... View More...
The central theme of the Bible's New Testament is God's love for you as an individual. This love was revealed through Christ's coming into the world and living among humankind, and through his dying on the cross and rising from the dead. By Christ's death, God offers you forgiveness for your sins, and by his resurrection, the promise of everlasting life. Christ died and rose again for the whole world, but for you to become a Christian is an individual matter. The only way to establish a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is to accept his offer of forgiveness and everlasting life. The fol... View More...
To Be a Christian By J.I. Packer and Lane Dennis What does it mean to be a Christian? What is essential for Christian faith and life? How can we know Jesus Christ and experience the full love of God through him? How can you become a child of God, anchored in the full reality of unquenchable joy, beginning in this life and ever increasing in the life to come? It is possible to know about these things, however, without actually knowing them personally in one's life. In order not to miss what God is offering you, it is imperative that you receive Jesus Christ as your own Savior and Lord--if you ... View More...
