Christian Living

Thanksgiving Day as known to North America is a harvest festival. As celebrated in the United States and Canada, it is traditionally a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude.

Criticism and compliment are opposite. Criticism is disfavor toward. Compliment is favor toward. Neither is innately amoral. Both potentially stem from attitudes of love or hate. Both can bless or curse—the implications heavily dependent upon both the giver and receiver.

Daniel was not at home. Daniel lived imprisoned in land that was not his choice. It was the king of Babylon’s country. It was a rich land indeed— the wealthiest of the age—the most powerful of all earth kingdoms, but it was not Daniel’s home. No doubt Daniel’s choices were many and his accountability only personal. Daniel was a eunuch, why not celebrate?

In the first book of the Bible we read in Gen 1:31-2:1, “And God saw every thing that he had made, and be-hold it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.”

“And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country. And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

The doctrine of sanctification is often misunderstood and neglected in our day. If we want to be called children of God, we must be sanctified and have the process of sanctification continuing in our lives. Without sanctification, no one will see God and live with Him in glory.

They say Easter is a symbol of new things.

Folks seem to take extreme pleasure in new things—new cars, new houses, new tools, new machinery, new clothes, new books—new, new, new. There is no end of “new stuff” of carnal value. Carnality certainly finds great satisfaction in the carnal new. Economics rely upon them. All new things of carnal value await a destiny of infernal fire. Soon, they will pass away. Then whose will these new things be?

In recent years, I repeatedly hear a common confession expressed in our conservative churches. Sometimes it is acknowledged in a council meeting, revival meeting, a public testimony, or in personal interviews. In a few occasions, having been involved in small accountability groups, I have also heard this common confession. I have needed to acknowledge this common need in my life as well. This common confession is often declared, “I need to grow in my prayer life.” Why is it that our prayer life often needs improvement?

Romans 12 is one of the many rich passages of Scripture recorded in God’s Word. This chapter begins with the practical outworking of the great plan of salvation and ends with chapter 16. This chapter presents one of the finest summaries of Christian duties found in the Scriptures. In this chapter we want to notice the expressions of love that are listed there and allow our lives to be challenged in our everyday life.

Nature shows us clearly that living things reproduce themselves. This process generally produces a baby that is feeble and needs nurture from its parent. The “Living Christian Faith” will also reproduce itself and this will result in “babes in Christ” who need nurture and help to grow to greater usefulness in the church. Babies often require much sacrifice and work on the part of their care givers. We must understand how to care for the babies that are born into our number and be willing to make the sacrifices needed.