Articles

The first-century church in Ephesus did many things right. The risen and ascended Jesus Himself commended the church for its arduous work for the Gospel, its faithfulness to Him in the face of persecution, and its commitment to the truth (Rev. 2:2–3). But despite all this high praise, the task-oriented, tough-minded, truth-telling fellowship at Ephesus lacked a crucial element. In His letter to the Ephesian church in the book of Revelation, Jesus said, “I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first” (Rev. 2:4).

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Hebrews 11:1–2“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation.”

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“Life is tough, and then you die.” Maybe you’ve heard that sentiment in a song, read it on a bumper sticker, or scrolled past something similar on social media. Perhaps it lacks some nuance, but in a way, it is actually quite accurate: life in this world is often challenging, and we are all going to leave it behind one day.

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When Paul wrote his first letter to Timothy, his explicit goal was that his protégé might “know how one ought to behave in the household of God” (1 Tim. 3:15). The letter is thus a wonderful resource for the church as it asks questions about what it should do and how it should do it. And Among Paul’s many concerns in 1 Timothy, and the one he presents “first of all” is “that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people” (1 Tim. 2:1, emphasis added).

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“By a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14)

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Men are often masters of delegation. Give them a task, and they can quickly assign just the right person to do it. A simple phone call? Let the office assistant make the connection. Household chore? One of the kids can get it done.

Delegation can be a wonderful thing—but what about abdication? What if we assign away our responsibilities?

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Genesis 1:27“So God created man in his own image,
  in the image of God he created him;
  male and female he created them.”

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Even in a time of tumult and uncertainty regarding education in our culture, the book of Proverbs remains a timeless course in wise living. It’s self-described purpose is for its readers “to know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth” (Prov. 1:2–4). It teaches us what it means to walk the path God has appointed.

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The subject of the Holy Spirit causes confusion for many people. Indeed, more nonsense seems to be spoken in relationship to the doctrine of the Holy Spirit than nearly any other Christian doctrine. So, if we wish to understand the Spirit’s identity and work, we must take special care to do so within the framework and controls of the Bible itself.

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Of all the worldly choices we will ever face, the decision about whether to marry, and then whom to marry, is as crucial as any. If we desire to shine as lights in a dark world, pointing toward Christ in every facet of life, is it fair to say that one way to do so is to embrace singleness? In order to answer that question adequately, we must pay careful attention to what the Bible teaches about the single state.

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