When trouble of any sort comes to us, our first response is to ask, “Why?” Death, disease, deformity, and accidents perplex all of us.
There is no one easy answer as to why people suffer, but several possible explanations are given in the Bible.
1. Judgment for sin. Some suffering comes as punishment for sin. This is the oldest and most common explanation for su...
There are times when, in the face of a temptation or an invitation to do evil, there is no substitute for an absolute, resounding “no.” The word no is one of the smallest yet hardest of all words to say. Youth especially have trouble saying it. We have trouble with it because we all want popularity, success, and happiness. To say no increases the possibility of losing all three.
<...Has science outmoded the Bible? Some people think so. But those who know both science and the scriptures know that the answer is obviously no. When properly understood, the Bible has never bowed to any discovery of science.
We must remember that the Bible is not a textbook of science. It is a book of God to show us how to be saved. The Bible does not propose to give the scientific but t...
Sin is deadly and should not be treated lightly. The Bible warns, “Fools make a mock at sin” (Proverbs 14:9). How do people mock sin?
1. Some people mock sin by changing its name. W. E. Sangster, the late Methodist preacher, said, “Years ago I attended a joint meeting of doctors, psychiatrists, and ministers to discover ways in which we could work together. There was a...
Someone who is right about questions of money is likely to be right on every other question of religion. On the other hand, a man wrong about money is likely to be seriously wrong about every other question of religion.
What is the right use of money? What does the Bible say about the right use of wealth? Look at 1 Timothy 6.
1. We are to enjoy our wealth (v17).
On the surface the argument is plausible: let liquor become part of a child’s life when he is young and he will drink in moderation. Unfortunately it does not seem to work that way. It appears strange that while many countries are cracking down on the abuses of alcohol, we Americans are calling for more leniency.
Alcoholism is one of the great social problems that face America today. Al...
There are some things in life that are priceless. Money cannot buy them and poverty cannot take them away. One of these is a virtuous woman. Proverbs 31:10-31 describes such a lady. The writer asks, “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.” Rich indeed is the man who has a virtuous wife. Fortunate beyond measure is the child who has a virtuous mother.
There are...
One of the tragedies of people being cold and indifferent spiritually is that they spread their spirit everywhere and to everyone.
Let me illustrate. I was talking with a fellow pastor one day and he mentioned a “bucket committee” in his church. I replied, “Bucket committee? I have never heard of such a thing. I thought our church had every committee that a church could have. We have 28...
There are all kinds of partnerships in life. There are marriage partners, dancing partners, tennis partners, and business partners. However, the greatest of all partnerships is the privilege of being a partner with God and his great work. The apostle Paul speaks of this when he says, “We are labourers together with God” (1 Corinthians 3:9).
To every one of us has been given the matchles...