March April 2021

A Tale of Two Prophets

Two prophets – Jonah and Nahum. Both messengers of God prophesied against the great Assyrian capital of Nineveh, the largest city in the world at that time. It was also the very heart of the empire that took ancient Israel captive and threatened the kingdom of Judah. However, the two prophetic books have vastly different […]

On Mission . . . in Chile

Chile is a Spanish-speaking country in South America. It is 4,329 km (2,690 miles) from north to south, which crowns it the longest country in the world. In addition, the narrowest part of the country measures only 90 km (56 miles) in width, making it the narrowest country in the world. In terms of religion, […]

Focus on the Faithful: Peter

We continue our Focus on the Faithful series with one of the New Testament’s most beloved figures, Simon Peter. We know this lowly fisherman-turned-mighty apostle well. After Jesus, his name is mentioned more times than any other, including Paul’s. Few Bible characters are more exposed before us than Peter is. We see all his flaws […]

Godliness in Action

As our church leaders sat discussing whether we should appoint more elders, we were left with the question “What is the principal criterion for a man to be an elder?” Several qualified men hesitated because they did not think they met the criteria, but Paul was not afraid to appoint elders in every church he […]

Defining Moment

Pen in hand and a fresh scroll in front of him, Luke assayed to address his longtime acquaintance, Theophilus, concerning the strange happenings in the last while. Where to begin? Though not an eyewitness, Luke had numerous contacts with those who were, along with an accurate knowledge of historical events that reinforced the veracity of […]

Fireflies

Before His crucifixion and death, Jesus prayed to His Father for His people: “Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are” (John 17:11). Last […]

Divine Interruption

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction (2 Timothy 4:2, NIV). After dropping off my family at a lake near our home, I shifted our minivan into gear and headed to the library. While my husband and sons fished, I […]

Rise Up and Rebuild

In the Bible, there’s a whole lot of building going on. Noah built an ark for animals and humans to escape the Flood. People in Babylon built a tower toward heaven. Well, they tried. Moses supervised construction of a portable tabernacle in the desert, using skilled, Spirit-filled craftsmen named Bezalel and Aholiab. Some of you […]

Three Keys to Enduring Suffering

According to Open Doors, more than fifty countries are listed as hostile to Christianity. This means that if one becomes a believer in Jesus Christ as Savior, they can expect to face suffering. Even though we in the West are not used to thinking about suffering for Christ’s sake, we need to be ready for […]