Mark Twain wrote, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” While we might agree with Twain, the salaries many of […]
ith it [the tongue] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can […]
Scripture Reading: Ezra 5 Background Reading: Haggai 1–2 Discussion Starters 1. Chronology is important to a correct reading of the Bible, since God gives us specific dates and times on which to hang events. How much time has elapsed between the end of Ezra 4 and the beginning of Ezra 5? How much time has […]
Scripture Reading: Ezra 4:6–24 Background Reading: 2 Chronicles 36:1–21; 2 Kings 25:22–26; Jeremiah 52:1–11 Discussion Starters 1. What motivated the enemies of Judah and Jerusalem to “frustrate [the] purpose” of the Israelites? Who was there encouraging God’s people? (Read Haggai 1; see Note 4:2.) 2. What specific actions did Israel’s enemies take as soon as […]
Interim Editor 3718 Earle S. W. Grandville, Ml 49418 Dear Editor, Kudos on the article by Lems: “The Dangers of Neglecting the Assembly” in which the benefits of church attendance are presented. With eleven well-thought out points, he outlines the significance of Christian assembly. In addition, he invites discussion, so please indulge me for a […]
The lack of a proper reverence for God’s name and irreverent worship are not the only things that should concern us as we take a realistic look at the portrait of the visible church of our time. We should be equally concerned about the lack of respect for God’s Word. God’s Word is not being […]
WALK into your local bookstore chain and ask an associate where you can find the section with the “sacred scriptures.” What do you think would happen? They won’t look at you funny but instead will walk you to a section full of books. On several shelves you will find the Tanach of Judaism (the Old […]
We are up to our fourth of seven meditations on the seven “I am” statements of Christ in the Gospel of John. In each of these statements, our Lord reveals something about Himself. He has referred to Himself as bread (John 6:35), light (John 8:12), and a gate or door (John 10:7). In each of […]
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son . . .” —Galatians 4:4a For my family, living in a community with a coal-mining heritage has been a new experience. Since we didn’t grow up hearing the stories about the days when “coal was king,” we have found that taking coal […]
Where did the chapter and verse divisions in our Bibles come from? When Scripture was originally written, there were no chapter and verse divisions. These man-made additions to our Bibles came much later. It was Stephen Langton, an Archbishop of Canterbury in England, who added chapter divisions into the Latin Vulgate around A.D. 1227. A […]