Christ was no thief, but He allowed Himself to be crucified with and for thieves. Why did He allow this? Love compelled Him to bear the sins of many.
Everything in the Christian life is dependent upon prayer. Thankfully, we serve a God who hears, answers, and has respect unto prayer.
The word religion has a bad reputation. Truly, religion that offers no change of heart is bad, but there is religion that changes a man’s heart before God.
Paul was one of the most religious people ever to live. In spite of his religious efforts, he was condemned to hell until he trusted Christ as Saviour.
Death is the departure of the soul and spirit from the body, but where does each part of man end up after a man dies? The Bible answers this question and more.
God especially cares for all those that the world frequently disregards. For instance, the Bible points out that the Lord is “the helper of the fatherless,” and the poor commit themselves unto His care (Psalm 10:14). Why is it important for the poor to look up for their help? Because the Lord regards “the oppression of the poor” (Ecclesiastes 5:8) and delivers the poor “from him that is strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him” (Psalm 35:10). Jeremiah confirmed this truth when he said, “the LORD . . . hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers” (Jeremiah 20:13). The world may regard the poor as a burden, but the Lord sees them as one of His highest priorities.
Some have mistakenly assumed riches suggest godliness. Their assumptions are based upon two fallacies: the poor experience poverty in relation to their sins against God, while the rich live abundantly because of their faithful obedience to the Lord. Although it is true that riches come from God, it is not true that righteousness is always rewarded with riches, while wickedness is always punished with poverty. Some of the most faithful believers in mankind’s history owned little more than the clothes that adorned their bodies. It is both unscriptural and dangerous to assume that these faithful believers were under the judgment of God. The Bible explicitly states the response toward those who suppose that gain is godliness. The Bible says, “from such withdraw thyself.”
By nature, man is full of pride and pretty certain of his own greatness. From early childhood, he seeks the praise of others for what he deems great accomplishments. He constantly boasts of his abilities, both physically and mentally. In order for a man to get saved, or a saved man to get his fellowship right with the Lord following salvation, each individual must humble himself under the mighty hand of God (1 Peter 5:6). Conviction brings such humility. Eventually, God’s hand causes the mouth of pride to shut. It reminds the sinner of his sinfulness and the just guilt he feels within. It shows him that he comes short of the glory of God and stands in need of repentance.
According to the apostle Paul, the last days would be marked by an ever greater love for pleasure than a love for the Lord. This lack of love for the Lord might manifest itself in various ways but ultimately results from a heart problem. For instance, an individual might forsake Bible reading or prayer in order to enjoy some form of amusement. He might choose not to take part in his church’s outreach because he is instead consumed with pleasure-seeking. He might forsake the assembling together with the saints of God in a worship service because he is consumed by seeking out worldly entertainment. Though men justify these things, this is an open manifestation that men choose pleasures over the God who sent His Son to die for their sins.
Learning how to be the right kind of steward can seem difficult, but never without reward. The Lord Jesus taught and explained His parables of stewardship. In these teachings, He presented the faithful steward receiving his reward at the time of accounting for his stewardship. The apostle Paul confessed this truth in 1 Corinthians 9:17 when he said, “if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward.” Paul knew God had a special calling upon his life and also knew he would stand before God to give account for his service. In like manner, each believer will one day stand before the Master (Jesus Christ) to give an account of his stewardship. Those who have served as good stewards will receive reward, while those who failed to do so will suffer loss (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).
