In the ancient cultures of the Middle East, there was a concept we know as Agency. The central notion of agency is this: that one person would send another as a representative to carry out his bidding with all the authority of the sender. In this teaching we look at this concept in the relationship between God and his son …
Biblical Servitude
In our contemporary world, the idea of Service often has a bad connotation. People tend to associate it with diminished value and a lack of self-worth. But from a scriptural perspective, a person simply will not go far with the Lord unless he or she learns first to be a servant. From the prophet delivering the Lord’s message, to the …
The Walk of Humility
The Bible teaches, “Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Pridefulness, also called self-righteousness, is the affliction of the natural man and carnal Christian alike going back to Adam’s rebellion. “Better to be lowly in spirit,” scripture continues, “and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.” Pride’s only antidote to Pride is Humility. …
The Gospel of Christ
The word gospel literally means “good news” and is used 93 times in the New Testament. In Greek, it’s the word euaggelion, from which we get our English words evangelist, evangel, and evangelical. Specifically, the gospel is the good news of Christ’s salvation to the world: 1.) That God so loved the world that he gave his only son to …
Too Good To Be True
The first Christmas I remember was 1962. I was five years old. I recall rubbing my eyes in wonder and eagerly watching as the gifts were passed around by my two older brothers and sister. To my complete surprise, I got a BB gun; a small, lever-action Daisey BB gun! I was shocked and remember thinking, “Surely Santa made a …
The One Body
As Christians, individually, Christ is in each one of us – hence the name, Christian, meaning Christ-In. And we, both individually and as a Church, are in Christ, “In Christo.” This phrase signifies something dynamic, and not static; it signifies life and growth. Most importantly, it signifies union. We are in union with Christ. God provided this unchangeable reality of …
God’s Peace
The Bible tells us that God is not the author of confusion but of peace. Peace and order are essential to one’s relationship with God. When we consider God’s still, small voice, peace is essential for our well being in our walk with God. We cannot remain emotionally and spiritually balanced without it. That secret place in our hearts is …
Become Like Christ
West Virginia’s mountains are ablaze with color, announcing the change of season from summer to fall; which is by far my most beloved time of year. The smell of a fresh, cool, fall morning is unlike any other. Perhaps it is the fond memories of camping and hunting with my Dad and brothers. Or maybe the memories of high school …
Joy Of The Lord
Joy, is clearly a rare condition in our world today. Few people even feel happy, much less joyful. When we focus on the present state of our world it seems impossible to “feel” joyful. Yet, God’s word tells us about many believers who experienced joy in the midst of austere conditions. So how can we, today, experience and hold onto …
The Walk Of The Spirit
Jesus told the Jewish Leader Nicodemus, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.” In this famous verse, we learn that the two realms, flesh and the spirit, are separate and mutually exclusive. The book of Galatians further elaborate for us that “the flesh lusts against the spirit and …