John 8:12-50

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

One of the greatest hindrances to internal peace which the Christian encounters is the common habit of dividing our lives into two areas, the sacred and the secular. As the seas are conceived to exist apart from each other and to be morally and spiritually incompatible, and as we are compelled by the necessities of living to be...

For Reading and Meditation:     John 8:31-41

You have probably sensed that the issue we have been dealing with is extremely important. In fact, I know of nothing of greater consequence for the Christian Church than the need to resolve the issue of why it is, when facing the tough questions of life, we settle for answers that are not answers. Let me illustrate what...

For Reading and Meditation:     John 8:21-36

We saw yesterday that the phenomenon of catharsis comes about not simply through telling someone else our troubles, but when that other person is a warm, accepting and understanding individual. Psychologists believe the explanation for this to be the fact that the warm, accepting manner of the helper is so directly...

For Reading and Meditation:     Esther 3:9-15

Clearly Haman knew that his plan to exterminate the Jews needed careful thought if it was to succeed. As Persia prided itself on its structure of law, his first task was to draw up a new edict which demanded the death of all those who were Jews, then have it approved by the king. When, at last, the cruel document is...

For Reading and Meditation:     Mark 1:1-12

We continue with the thought that what makes the Bible unique is its Author. Some years ago a cartoon appeared in a Christian magazine depicting a woman at the counter of a lending library asking for a copy of the Bible. "Bible?" muses the attendant. "Bible! Never heard of it. Who's the author?" But don't other religions...

For Reading and Meditation:     John 8:31-47

Jesus publicly made the challenge: " Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?" Here we are face to face with a kind of person who had not been seen since Adam in his pre-fallen condition - a man without sin. The disciples had shared every kind of experience with Him that mortals can share, had seen Him at all hours of day...

This is a complaint brought against us by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us listen to it. He has assured us of His love, that He seeks our good, that He will not be wroth with us; we dishonour Him therefore by our fretfulness under trials and troubles; by our murmuring when all is not as we wish; by our impatience to be delivered from pain; by our unbelief in reference to His promises and providence; by our unthankfulness for the many mercies we receive; by employing His favours in Satan's...

It is important to know the devices of our enemy, the Devil. Otherwise he is likely to take advantage of us.

We should know that he is a liar, and has been from the beginning. In fact, he is the father of lies (John 8:44). He lied to Eve by misrepresenting God, and he has been doing it ever since.

He is a deceiver (Revelation 20:10). He mixes a little truth with error. He imitates or...

Those who teach and preach the Christian faith should practice what they preach. They should present to the world a living example of the truth. The will of God is that the Word should become flesh in the lives of His people.

The world is more impressed by action than by talk. Wasn't it Edgar Guest who wrote, "I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day"? And there is the well-known jibe, "What you are speaks so loud, I can't hear what you say!"

It was said of one preacher that...

Paul's experience with the Christians in Galatia reminds us that we often make enemies of our friends when we tell them the truth. The apostle had introduced these people to the Lord and nurtured them in the faith. But later when false teachers infiltrated their Christian assemblies, Paul had to warn believers that they were forsaking Christ for the law. That caused them to become hostile toward their father in the faith.

It was also true in Old Testament times. Elijah was always...