Life is lived in death’s shadow. The longer we live the longer the shadow. This thought can be so paralyzing that man’s ingenuity has been stretched to cope with it. The psalmist, himself no stranger to the valley, shows the best way.
A commitment to being happy through pleasing yourself may be attractive, but it can become abusive. There is a better way expressed by David: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart...
The Psalmist in a somber mood asked, “What is man?” And then he proceeded to answer his own question. What he said is crucial for a generation that struggles with self-image.
We must look at the world in which we live and evaluate the situation. As much as we would like to ignore it, we can’t. We need to be realistic and understand that there are a lot of things wrong with the world.
As we spend half our conscious hours at work—give or take a few hours—our attitudes to work form a significant part of our attitude to life. How are we to view work? Is it a curse or a calling?
This question is being asked today because many parents suspect they may have failed, and many children do little to alter that perception. But to answer the question, we need to know what parents are supposed to do.
Adolescence—the period of growth to maturity—is a twentieth century word that is not an exclusively twentieth century experience. But some people feel that the stage through which we all pass is particularly difficult in the modern world. What does a real teenager do about it?
Societal structures are changing dramatically in the U.S.A. and not the least in the area of “singles”—those who are not married either by choice or chance. For example, single households have increased 66% from 1960 to 1980. What is the status of the single person according to Scripture?
The family, God’s basic ordained societal unit can be an environment of great delight or the scene of intolerable stress and strain. Isaac’s family knew both experiences and a study of it may prove valuable to all those who take the family seriously.
When Betty Friedan wrote, “The problem for women today is not sexual but a problem of identity, a stunting or evasion of growth that is perpetuated by the feminine mystique,” she fired a shot heard around the world. To what extent was her mystique a mistake? To what extent was she right?
At first sight, the question may seem inappropriate, but further reflection shows that many questions are circulating about the part that “real” husbands play in developing “real” marriages.
Never a wedding goes by without someone saying, “Marriages are made in heaven.” But if they are, why do so many fail? What are real marriages made of? Jesus had some thoughts on the subject.
We know they don’t eat quiche, but what do they eat? And who are these real men? The question, which is on many lips, suggests some degree of uncertainty. Jesus knew a real man when he saw one—and He knew what he ate!
Jesus had proved His remarkable ability to heal, and many apparently accepted this without question. But He wished to show His ability to conquer death as well as disease. So He raised Lazarus.
The tenth commandment differs from the other nine in that they deal specifically with actions, while it deals with an attitude—covetousness. But it is clear that actions originate with attitudes. (See Genesis 3:6 and 1 Timothy 6:10)
It is clear from both the prophetic (Jeremiah 5:7-9) and apostolic (1 Corinthians 5:1-5) ministries, not to mention the ministry of Christ Himself (Matthew 5:27-32), that ancient cultures had severe problems with sexual immorality. God’s obvious concern about this is related to His commitment to the sanctity of marriage. God’s Word in this regard needs to be heeded today.
Our judicial system requires witnesses to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Failure to do so is called perjury, which is a crime bearing severe penalties. God, who is far more committed to truth than man, expects us to tell the truth, too.
George Gallup, Jr. said, “It is ironic that while religion in America is growing in popularity, morality is declining.” The Wall Street Journal reported that a poll showed no difference in attitudes between “churched” and “unchurched” with regard to cheating on expense accounts and tax reporting.
To honor father and mother presupposes we know them, appreciate their significance and are afforded opportunities of expressing our respect. This requires, of course, a lasting, intimate relationship in a suitable environment—we call it the family.
At first sight the third commandment seems to be banning profanity. But careful study shows that much more is at stake. Juliet asked Romeo, “What’s in a name?” Implying “nothing.” But she was mistaken.
Thomas Watson, preaching in the seventeenth century said, “In the first commandment worshipping a false god is forbidden, in this (the second commandment) worshipping the true God in a false manner.” God’s concern is to protect His people from the repercussions of such error.
The Lord introduced His rules for living with the dramatic statement, "You shall have no other gods before me!" This meant He was placing Himself above and beyond all human speculations about deities and establishing His claim to be No. 1.
Two things stand out in modern western society: a sense of disorientation and confusion, and a distaste for authority. That the two things are connected is not always acknowledged but a study of the Ten Commandments will show this is the case.
God’s will, God’s Word, and God’s worship may sound a little spiritual to some people. But Paul is extremely practical when he turns his attention to “whatever you do.” That just about covers everything!
Someone has said, “Too many Christians worship their work, work at their play, and play at their worship.” Let’s talk about worship with particular reference to psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
It is a well-established fact among believers that "man cannot live by bread alone," but that the Word "from the mouth of God" is vitally necessary (Matt. 4:4). However, it is equally well established that many believers have inadequate appetites for and diets of the Word of God.
Discover content on our website by typing the content you are looking for. If desired, you can search for content specific Scripture by typing Bible verses in here. Or use the dropdown below to see messages on specific Bible books.
Search for Teaching by Scripture
Find teaching form our Bible teachers on specific scripture.
