Proverbs 9:10 says, “Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Psalm 111:10 says, “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments.” Fear of God demonstrates wisdom and understanding because it reveals a heart that […]
Bible Commentary
Are All Sins the Same…Are They Equal in God’s Eyes?
If you’ve been in the church for very long you’ve probably heard, “All sins are the same!” Yes, there are some ways they’re equal: The Greek word for sin is hamartanō, which is an archery term meaning “to miss the mark.” All sins are the same in that they’re examples of “missing the mark,” or […]
5 Christian Reminders for the 4th of July
The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays, because of the Christian reminders that come with it. 1. The 4th of of July reminds us that our nation was founded by men who recognized God was their Creator. The 4th of July celebrates the adopting of the Declaration of Independence by Congress on July […]
Generational Curses: Are Children Punished for Their Parents’ Sins?
If you’ve been in the church for any length of time, you’ve probably heard generational curses discussed. There are two conflicting opinions: God punishes children for the sins of their parents. God doesn’t punish children for the sins of their parents. Why the confusion? Verses Seem to Support and Argue Against Generational Curses Some verses […]
Don’t be discouraged when confused by Scripture!
Every Christian has been confused by Scripture at times. Here’s part of a message I received from someone after a study I taught: Last week, I took the entire chapter [from the study], copied it to Word, and then made spaces for notes. I thought I was prepared. But I wasn’t as prepared as I was […]
The One Thing to Avoid When Judging
In Matthew 7:1 Jesus said, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Second only to John 3:16, this might be the most well-known verse in Scripture, and the most misunderstood. There are people who have never opened a Bible, but if they’re corrected they’re going to respond with Jesus’ words and criticize you for judging them. […]
Why we should follow the script (or Scripture)
We homeschool our children, taking them through Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons when they’re around four. We’ve been pleased with the book, including the way the instruction is presented like a script. The words Katie is supposed to say are in red, and our child’s responses are in black. There’s a response provided if a child answers correctly, and […]
What Does (and Doesn’t) It Mean to “Be Filled with the Spirit”?
This is a controversial question. Ask one hundred people what it means to “be filled with the Spirit” and you’ll probably receive almost as many different answers. Unfortunately, for some people church background determines their answer more than Scripture. I include myself in this category, because for a period of time I believed being filled with the Spirit looked more like what […]
Where True Greatness Comes From
Where does true greatness come from? The answer is revealed in one of the most unique meetings in Scripture. Joseph rose to a position of great prominence in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. When he brought his family to Egypt he introduced his father, Jacob, to Pharaoh. Here’s the meeting between these two men: […]
Does the Gospel Make God an Abomination?
People mean well when they say all sins are the same, but the problem is they’re not. One way they’re different is certain sins are identified as an abomination. Two such examples: He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord. Proverbs 17:5 […]