Tag Archives: bible

Psalm 5: Praying Expectantly to Combat Discouragement

The older I get and the closer I grow to the Lord, the more I’ve come to realize that discouragement is really ungodly thinking in disguise. I don’t really mean to say that one should never be discouraged. But rather a discouragement without hope, one that ruins our day and our thoughts, is discouragement that hasn’t been handed over to God. And yet, how do we hand discouragement over to God? David, if anyone, had a reason to be discouraged. Like so many of God’s faithful he was persecuted for doing nothing wrong. He served Saul faithfully, so faithfully in … Continue reading →

Gospel Doctrine: The Value of the Old Testament

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You may think a blog on the value of the Old Testament may seem a bit out of place in the middle of our study of the New Testament. Part of the inspiration, I’m sure, comes from my new calling as Seminary teacher; I have been considering how to emphasize the importance of the Old Testament to teenagers this year. Perhaps that is why the scriptures expounded by Christ caught my eye. Many times, we tend to neglect the Old Testament in favor of the New. We figure that most of what it teaches us we can get much more … Continue reading →

Chapters and Verses in the Bible

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I referred you to BYU broadcast a few months ago, and I would like to now share something with you that I learned from a recent talk. The talk, entitled “Books, Paragraphs, Chapters, and Verses in the New Testament,” was given by David R. Seely during the Sperry Symposium. It was a bit difficult to follow because the speaker obviously had handouts to illustrate his point. Also, it was very academic and a touch dry. However, there was one point that really stuck out to me. The point that Seely made was that the verse and chapter breaks we have … Continue reading →

One Night with the King (2006)

I love the story of Esther. You may have guessed that, given the large number of times I’ve blogged on Esther-related subjects. (Links to these are at the end of this article.) So it should come as no surprise that I’m reviewing “One Night With the King” today. Beautiful costuming, lush sets, and gorgeous scenery accent this already impressive film. Tiffany Dupont stars as Hadassah, a beautiful Jewish orphan who has been raised by her cousin Mordecai (John Rhys-Davies). When Queen Vashti chooses not to appear at a banquet held by the king to rally support for the war against … Continue reading →

Provoke Someone Today!

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Did you know that the Bible instructs us to provoke each other? We are to provoke each other to love, that is. Hebrews 10:24 says, “And let us consider one another, to provoke unto love and to good works.” What do you normally think of when you hear the word “provoke”? I usually picture an argument I have had with another person. There comes a point in a given argument when I make a decision: Do I let the conversation drop and walk away from it, or do I say something to further make my case and incense the other … Continue reading →

The Sabbath in Bible Times

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Why Was there a Sabbath? The Sabbath, or “day of rest”, established by God at Creation is still observed by Orthodox Jews today. God’s purpose for the Sabbath was not simply that His people “take a day off” to remember His act of Creation, but also that they would be set apart from all other nations by their observance of it. The pagan nations, which eventually surrounded Israel, didn’t observe the Sabbath. Therefore, if the Jews continued to keep it, it would help protect them from assimilating into pagan cultures, and also make Israel stand out to its neighbors. Josephus, … Continue reading →

A Child’s Prayer Blooper

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Wednesday night at our church is a time of Bible study and prayer. After we spend about twenty minutes in Bible study, the service is opened up to the congregation. People who have needs for prayer will share them with the rest of the church during this time. If someone has a need, but does not want to specify the nature of it, they will say only that they have an “unspoken” prayer request. After we get all of the prayer requests, we pray together either as a church, as families, or with prayer partners. On one such evening my … Continue reading →

What Do You Do on Sunday Afternoons?

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Sunday afternoons are one of my favorite times during the week. Do I go somewhere exciting? Do I enjoy my favorite hobbies or sports? Not really. Sunday afternoons are for rigorously structured laziness. Our family doesn’t make plans, we don’t take trips, we use them instead, for rest and relaxation. In a society that sees church attendance as less and less of a priority, Sundays have become simply another Saturday. People go to the malls, meet with friends, work on their houses, go to parties and stay out late. In our family, Sundays are a day in which we avoid … Continue reading →

School Teachings Contrary to the Bible

While secular education is important and necessary Christians must enter the education system with a careful eye. There are many “accepted” teachings which are contrary to the Word of God such as teachings regarding the age of the earth and evolution. Christians must be aware of the types of teachings and be prepared to stand against them. How can Christian parents be prepared to stand against these teachings and prepare their children to stand against these teachings? Educate yourself. I remember when I was a young child (I think I was in elementary school) being taught in school that oil … Continue reading →

Teaching Children Through Song

Over the years I have found that one of the most effective ways to teach children about the Bible or Biblical concepts is through song. There are many advantages to using songs as a way to help children learn about Biblical ideas. Songs are fun, exciting, and interesting to children. Singing is an engaging activity, both mentally and physically. Children can sing these songs just about anytime from riding to school or doing their chores. Songs also provide an easy way for children to remember Bible stories or Biblical things. Below I have listed just a few songs which can … Continue reading →