Simply Gospel

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29). Humility is a virtue to which society pays lip service but does not really value. People who exalt themselves get exalted. Aggressiveness and assertiveness, with some discretion, are better rewarded than humility. Humility is very often viewed as weakness. This is not different from the first century (cf. Matthew 20:25), and this is precisely what makes Jesus’ humility all the more astounding. After all, if there ever were a man who could be… Continue reading

Let not then your good be evil spoken of: for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:16-17). God desires for all who believe in the name of Jesus to be one (John 17:20-23) and to have the same mind and the same judgment (1 Corinthians 1:10). In order even to begin this process we must all submit ourselves under God’s mighty hand and to be instructed by Him and not the world around us (1 Peter 5:6, Colossians 2:1-9, Romans 12:1-2). And yet, even though we… Continue reading

In early December, I went through a seminar called Breaking Through, and one lesson from the lectures was that we have a great deal of extra content in our minds. We operate consciously about 10% of the time and subconsciously about 90% of the time, and the speaker emphasized that we have to reprogram our subconscious thoughts to influence our conscious actions. The first principle to reprogram is that we do, in fact, have the ability to change. James 1:19-26 affirms that we have the ability to look into God’s perfect law and become a doer of that word. Do… Continue reading

“If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you” (John 13:14-15). Few events in the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth had been more astounding. The disciples and many others were amazed to see Jesus displaying power against demons, sickness, and even the natural world (Mark 1:27, 4:41).  But it was expected that the Messiah would have power and authority (cf. Isaiah 11:1-10, etc.).  His teachings were profound and also came with… Continue reading

But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57). The thrill of victory.  The agony of defeat.  So much of what takes place in life involves “winners” and “losers.”  We see it most clearly in sports games or in armed conflicts.  It is also present in competitions in business, school, and in life in general.  Everyone wants to win and be part of the winning team.  No one wants to lose, and few have patience with constant loss. Winning is sweet.  Far too often, winning goes unquestioned.  Everyone is happy when… Continue reading

“Where is God?” This is a simple question that we should not be taken lightly or asked casually. In times of struggle, when we face trials and challenges, we ask, “Where is God?” In Judges 6, when an angel of the Lord comes before Gideon, God poses this question in verse 13. “If Jehovah is with us, why are these things happening to us?” In II Kings 18, Sennacherib and the Rabshakeh challenge Hezekiah and the residents of Jerusalem with a similar question. “Where is your god?” Joel 2:17 and Psalm 42 contain requests that Israel’s enemies not be able… Continue reading

Herman Edwards recently said of a certain sports figure fallen into scandal: “[He] needs a friend and he has needed a friend who would tell him the truth…that’s what friends do.” In Galatians 4:16, Paul asks those Christians, “Am I your enemy because I tell you the truth?” amidst his criticism that they have so quickly turned away from the doctrine of Christ. Far too often, we resent those who tell us what we need to hear, and we value those who tell us what we want to hear. Those Who Vilified Truth In I Kings 12:4 records the people… Continue reading