You—or someone you know—may soon be graduating. I extend my congratulations! Whether you set new academic records or not, you finished. You saw it through. I commend you. Before that happens, however, let me give you four simple commandments that apply to anyone who is graduating. My thoughts grow out of the final four verses of 2 Timothy 3.
Read MoreTag Archives: Second Timothy
Tools
Remember that time you got ticked off trying to find a verse in the Bible and couldn’t? That was almost as bad as the day you decided to read a couple of chapters and got hung up on “Nazirite” . . . or scratched your head over “cubit.” These are like hardened, glazed coverings that suddenly obscure our understanding of God’s truth. The pick and shovel of good intentions simply will not cut through. Sharper tools than that are needed, believe me!
Read MoreCrowns God Sets Aside for His Servants, Part 1
There are at least five crowns promised in the Bible. For our purpose here, I will simply list the eternal crowns mentioned in the New Testament and offer a brief explanation of each. We’ll cover three today and two tomorrow.
Read MoreGood Will Come
As a pastor, counselor, and seminary chancellor, I have often found myself in an unpopular spot. An individual who has come to me pours out his or her soul. And God very clearly leads me to confront or point out a few specifics that the person finds rather painful to hear, not to mention accept.
Read MoreDealing with Disrespect and Resentment
A man named Naaman was a high-ranking Syrian soldier. He was influential, wealthy, proud—a man of dignity, courage, patriotism, and military clout. There was only one problem: the man had leprosy. Through a chain of interesting events, Naaman was led to Elisha for cleansing from his dread disease (2 Kings 5:1–14).
Read MoreA Critical Appraisal of Our Times
Need a picture of just how hopeless and empty society really is? Just glance over 2 Timothy 3. Within the first thirteen verses, I find three undeniable descriptions of our world: difficult, depraved, and deceived.
Read MoreEliminating the Pornography Snare
At a recent church meeting of twenty fathers and their preteen sons, the group leader asked which of them had never struggled to stop viewing pornography. Only one man raised his hand. Nearly all had experienced, or were experiencing, a desperate struggle with ensnaring temptations and sins related to viewing pornography. When asked when and […]
Read MoreFour Commandments for Graduates
You—or someone you know—may soon be graduating. The time has finally come for the ol’ cap-and-gown routine. I extend my congratulations! You may not have set new academic records or had perfect attendance . . . but you finished. You got it done. You saw it through. I commend you. Your course was lengthy, at […]
Read MoreWhat Lasts Forever? Only Two Things
Do you realise there are only two eternal things on earth today? Only two: people and God’s Word. Everything else will ultimately be burned up—everything else. Kind of sets your priorities straight, doesn’t it? The stuff we place on the shelf, the things we put frames around, the trophies and whatnots we dust and shine […]
Read MoreWhy You Can Have Confidence in the Bible
What is your final authority in life? Before you answer too quickly, think about it for a few moments. When you’re cornered, when you’re facing an intimidating obstacle, when you’re forced to deal with reality, upon whom or what do you lean? There can be no more reliable authority on earth than God’s Word, the […]
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