Robert Smelser
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Working to Glorify God
The subject of work is brought up more than six hundred times in the Bible. God views work as an honorable and desirable thing, and in I Corinthians 15 (while Paul is dealing with some resurrection doctrine issues), he concludes in verse 58 that we should always abound in the work of the Lord. Paul… Continue reading
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Strengthening Ourselves & One Another
As we study the writings of the New Testament, we have to remember that Paul, Peter, and others are writing generically to an abstract mass of people. They are writing to specific congregation with specific strengths and needs, trying to build up and encourage these brothers and sisters as best they can. In Luke 22:31-32,… Continue reading
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Equal Rights in God’s Eyes
One of the essential steps in establishing the first century church is the preaching we read about to people of various cultures and nationalities. When speaking in the home of Cornelius, Peter comes to the realization that God does not discriminate, and in Romans 2:2 states that God’s judgment is based on truth. In verses… Continue reading
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Knowing Satan’s Devices
In Luke 14:31, Jesus is speaking about preparation and counting the cost of discipleship. One of the illustrations He uses discusses a king preparing for battle, and this carries with it the idea of knowing the opposition one is up against. Throughout history, we can see examples of successful military commanders who anticipated and outmaneuvered… Continue reading
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The House of the Lord
In Isaiah 2:2-4, the prophet describes many nations coming to the mount of the Lord to worship Jehovah. They joyously come to the house of the Lord with their focus on God, and, when we come together to worship, we should be as eager and as willing as those people described by Isaiah. When we… Continue reading
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Joseph’s Three Coats
In our last lesson, we looked at some individuals whose lives took some unexpected turns, and one of those individuals was Joseph. God’s dealing with Joseph and the experiences he had could have an impact on the way we live our lives. Joseph’s life is filled with events and themes that seem to repeat themselves,… Continue reading
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Where I Intended, Where I’m Needed
Life very seldom turns out exactly as we plan. Think back twenty or thirty years. Back then, if someone had asked you where you would be in as many years, what would you have answered? Where did you picture yourself living? How many kids would you have expected? What kind of house or car would… Continue reading
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Knowledge, Attitude, & Willingness
Success in any project is dependent upon knowledge of the situation, a proper attitude, and a willingness to do what is necessary. These three things are evident in the establishment of the church in Acts 2. Here, a large crowd is gathered together who had a knowledge of God. They had gathered to observe a… Continue reading
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Getting Out of the Boat
Peter can be described in many ways – impulsive, reactionary, impetuous – and he had a knack for speaking or acting without thinking. In all this, he was still one of Jesus’ closest disciples. He was full of good intentions, and he eventually grows to a mature Christian. One story really seems to characterize much… Continue reading
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Being Pontius Pilate
Pontius Pilate was responding to several pressures in his decision to crucify Jesus, and different people have different assessments in how he handles the situation of Christ. Early on, Pilate comes to the conclusion that Jesus is an innocent man, and that He was brought before Pilate for political reasons. However, he displays a lack… Continue reading
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