Articles, Bible Questions and Discipleship Guides

When President Theodore Roosevelt was running for his third term as president, he got in a car to head toward an auditorium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he planned to give a speech. As he settled into the backseat of his car, Roosevelt was shot in the chest by an assailant with a Colt .38 revolver.  Shockingly, Roosevelt demanded that his driver take him to the auditorium, not the hospital. Despite the earnest protests of his driver, his secretary, and his campaign manager, Roosevelt stood and delivered an 80-minute speech to a packed auditorium with a bullet lodged in his ribcage.  When he was finally taken to the hospital, doctors wondered what saved his life. Well, before entering the car, Roosevelt had folded his 50-page speech manuscript twice and put it into his breast pocket. The bullet, which entered that same breast pocket, was slowed by that speech and a metal glasses case. Roosevelt’s life was saved, in part, by those 200 layers of paper!  read more

There’s an old adage that says, “Don’t just stand there; do something!” Whether there’s a problem at work, a project at home, or... read more

I can imagine Moses was the subject of much scorn and derision from his fellow Israelites. While the rest of his nation suffered under... read more

What are your regular resolutions? ... read more

Discover practical principles and insights for navigating a post-Roe America with a pro-life perspective. Explore the importance of unimpeachable witness, understanding the ideological disconnect, and filtering discourse through a gospel lens. Embrace the mission of proclaiming the gospel while upholding the sanctity of life. Gain wisdom on walking wisely in a changing landscape and making a lasting impact. read more

Explore the importance of compassion and practical ministry in supporting women facing unwanted pregnancies. Discover the reality of women who have had abortions and the challenges they face in sharing their experiences within church communities. Learn how the church can create a culture of compassion, offering understanding, acceptance, and love. Discover the significance of financial, emotional, and adoptive care as tangible ways to support women in need. Be inspired to become the hands and feet of Jesus by providing refuge and hope for those facing this sensitive issue. read more

I have vivid memories, even from an early age, of my parents listening to Stephen Davey’s sermons. As I grew in my own faith, my parents have always encouraged me to read the Bible for myself and to praise Him with both my words and my actions. I have many sweet memories of listening to Wisdom for The Heart- one of my favorites would be listening to Stephen on long car rides to visit family. We would often pause the sermon to comment or share about how it relates to another passage of scripture that one of us had previously read. This honest Biblical teaching is a refreshing cup of cold water to a thirsty heart.  read more

Explore the complexities surrounding abortion and the rare instances of rape, incest, and risks to the mother's life. Discover biblical perspectives on these situations and find guidance for making difficult decisions. Gain insights on the sanctity of life and the hope of eternity in the face of loss. read more

Delve into the question of whether the Bible addresses the sensitive topic of abortion. Gain insights into the biblical perspective on life, human dignity, and the sanctity of unborn children. Discover thought-provoking perspectives on abortion based on scriptural principles and teachings. Explore the relevance of biblical passages, ethical considerations, and the Christian worldview in understanding this complex issue. Engage in a thoughtful exploration of the Bible's stance on abortion and how it shapes our understanding of life's sanctity and value. read more

On September 2, 1945, General Douglas MacArthur led the Allied forces’ delegation aboard the USS Missouri to accept the surrender of... read more

Heaven is a real place, and it is our eternal destination if we are believers in Jesus Christ. This article will explore what the Bible says about Heaven, including when we will experience it, what it will be like, and who will be there. read more

Humans have been trying to play the role of God since the Garden of Eden. But God gave us the Book of Revelation to remind us of His triumph over sin and death. In this article, we will explore the meaning of Revelation and why it is so important for Christians today. read more

A.W. Tozer spoke of Christians in the harvest field of ministry when he wrote, “We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not... read more

In 1929, Dr. William Leslie returned to America as a discouraged, disheartened missionary. 17 years earlier, he had felt the call of God to... read more

Near the end of World War II, a plane carrying 24 members of the U.S. military crashed into the dense New Guinea jungle. Only three... read more

One of the many evils of the heresy known as prosperity gospel is the unrealistic expectation put upon God by those who follow this... read more

The Federal Aviation Administration published a pamphlet detailing a phenomenon they called “Spatial Disorientation.” A pilot suffering... read more

During a historic financial collapse in America in the early 1900s, copper miners in Arizona seized upon the opportunity to unionize and... read more

The biography of Enoch in Genesis 5 ends differently than all the other men mentioned in this chapter. Moses writes that all the other men... read more

“Do as I say, not as I do” might be easy to say—or hide behind as a parent—but the truth remains that children learn to mimic just... read more

A popular series of commercials feature young people who are— rather humorously—turning into their parents. The premise for these... read more

Do you sometimes wish that God communicated His will to you today as dramatically and obviously as He did with Moses at the burning bush?... read more

You may not recognize the name Sarah Hale, but you know her work. Sarah was born in 1788. She was, among other talents, a poet. Her most... read more

The difference between “knowing the truth about God’s will” and “doing” God’s will can be the distinction between genuine faith... read more

In 1975, Raymond Dunn was born with a skull fracture and oxygen deprivation that caused severe intellectual disabilities. As Raymond grew,... read more

In the 2018 NBA Finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers had a chance to win Game 1 and take an early lead in the series. The game was tied and JR... read more

What places in your life are the easiest to lose your testimony? I imagine you might immediately think of your workplace. That’s where we... read more

As a young boy, I loved my monthly sleepovers at my grandmother’s home. It meant that I could stay up later than normal, lounge around in... read more

The childhood poem, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” may sound like a good comeback for a kid to say, but it is entirely untrue. Many of us can testify to the fact that often times, the opposite is true. You likely don’t remember every bump, bruise, or broken bone in your life, but I’m sure you can remember some unkind remarks that cut you to the quick. Oftentimes, wounds caused by hurtful words can cause scars that remain with us for days, or even decades. read more

If the first three chapters of Jonah took place in modern times, Jonah would be heading off to receive his Nobel Peace Prize and posing for the cover of TIME Magazine’s “Person of the Year” issue. He would have offers from seminaries across the country to come and teach budding preachers how to effectively communicate God’s Word.  Jonah has just preached the most successful sermon in history. The entire city of Nineveh has repented of their violent sins and turned toward God. Their hearts and lifestyles have been changed. By any evangelical metric, Jonah has just accomplished an unprecedented ministry marvel. Unfortunately, for Jonah’s legacy— but fortunately for our study—there is a fourth chapter in the book of Jonah. More than likely Jonah would have been happier if God had left this fourth chapter out. read more

While there is no audio recording of Jonathan Edward’s famous Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God message, we do have the printed transcript, which employed more than 7,000 words. That would have taken well over an hour to deliver. Centuries earlier, the prophet Jonah received a message from God. It was his “second chance” to obey the Lord and he obediently went and proclaimed God’s warning to the sinful city of Nineveh. You would think all those hours in the belly of the fish would have given him plenty of time to prepare his sermon, but God gave him the message, and it was only eight words—the shortest, most successful sermon ever recorded.  read more

Three of the most scrutinized words in the Bible appear in Jonah 1:17: “And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah.” Scientists and skeptics have tried to disprove the miraculous account of “a great fish” swallowing a living person. Some have tried to reimagine the meaning of the words, theorizing that “The Fish” was the name of another boat that sailed by and picked up Jonah. Another author suggested that Jonah swam to shore and stayed at an inn called, “The Fish.” read more

According to global mission’s statistics, a dozen Christians are martyred for their faith every day. Certainly, the path of following God is not the path of comfort and safety; it often is the path of sacrifice and suffering. Jonah has received a commission from God to travel to Nineveh, a nation that represented Israel’s most wicked and brutal enemies. I have little doubt that Jonah believed the outcome of his visit would be his death, or even worse in his mind: the repentance of his enemies. The possibility of a vile and cruel nation being forgiven by God was simply too much for Jonah to stomach. We read Jonah 1:3, “But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.” read more

There was nothing unusual about Jonah receiving a word from the Lord. He likely received dozens, if not hundreds, of these kinds of messages during his prophetic ministry in Israel. Trouble was, the message he received from the Lord, as the Book of Jonah opens, was nothing like he had ever heard before. God tells Jonah in Jonah 1:2, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me. “Their evil has come up before me” is a Hebrew expression that literally refers to bad-smelling odor. In English we often say it this way: “Something stinks to the highest heaven.” read more

In the eighth century B.C., the national celebrities of the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah were not actors, athletes, or even kings; the most famous men were the prophets. Few were more famous than the prophet Jonah, the one-time apprentice to Elisha—the prophet who inherited Elijah’s ministry and mantle. After the death of Elisha, Jonah took over as the primary voice of the Lord to the northern tribe of Israel. In fact, long before the events surrounding Jonah’s famous “swim,” he had delivered a rather famous prophecy to the kingdom of Israel, promising the return of some land that had been taken from them. When this prophecy came to pass in 2 Kings 14, the reputation of Jonah grew into the stratosphere. read more

Last year, Forbes magazine highlighted a recent workplace phenomenon: employees withholding job-related information from their colleagues. Experts call this office dynamic “knowledge hoarding.” Among the various reasons given for knowledge hoarding, many leadership coaches and teamwork specialists have focused on the individualized nature of the workplace. Organizational success and cohesiveness have become less important than individual motivations: promotion, obtaining a raise, or being deemed the “star” of the business. By refusing to share knowledge or teach newer employees about the best practices of the office, the selfish employee may benefit individually, but the team will suffer as a result. In the same way, God’s people suffer when they do not understand the law of the Lord, and God’s people are blessed when teachers devote themselves to publicly proclaiming the truth of God’s Word. read more

Like thousands of kids every year, I was somewhat compelled to take piano lessons when I was young. At first, my teacher gave me very basic numbers to play—the type of numbers you can use one finger for as you poke the keys. Slowly, I progressed to the point where I could play songs like “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” I could also drive my family crazy by playing “Heart and Soul”—over and over again. I still enjoy playing the piano to this day and am forever grateful my mom made me stick with it even though I never wanted to practice. On Sunday afternoons, I can sit down at the bench and play some classic hymn, while my wife and daughter sing along. read more

The Guinness World Records website is perhaps the greatest showcase of bizarre trivia and unique topics that people devote themselves to mastering. The site includes stories like a man who had played a Legend of Zelda video game so much that he thought he could complete the game blindfolded, using just audio cues and his own memory. He successfully beat the game in 103 hours. read more

In the last article, we looked at the extreme measures that must be taken when church discipline is unsuccessful and when restoration is no... read more

With an understanding of what church discipline is, when it is needed and the attitude needed to do it well, it’s time to get practical about how to properly do church discipline. Whether you already think you have someone in mind who may need church discipline, or just want to better understand this function of the church, it is crucial that the process of church discipline is clearly understood and properly implemented. The stakes (the spiritual life or death of a fellow church member) are too high, and the potential for bad communication too evident for us to not take these steps seriously. read more

A member of Martin Luther’s church had the opportunity to sell a home for 10 times the amount he paid for it. Some of us today are seeing housing prices skyrocket and are thinking about doing the same thing! But rather than congratulate his brother on the profit he was set to make, Luther threatened to excommunicate this member from his church unless he cut his asking price in half, citing that believer’s “unbridled greed” as the reason for his discipline. read more

One of the primary objections people give regarding church discipline is that Christians aren’t supposed to judge others. After all, didn’t Jesus say, “Judge not, lest you be judged”? Yes, he did say that, but Jesus also laid down a moral code for living, and even went so far as to call the Pharisees “dogs” and “pigs.” This verse speaks to a judgmental attitude—one who is quick to look for the flaws in others and takes it upon themselves to be the moral authority for the world. read more

What is a church? When you first became a believer, or when you relocated and needed a new church home, what characteristics did you look for? The Belgic Confession of 1561 described the true church with three characteristics: preaching pure doctrine, administering the ordinances, and exercising church discipline. read more

You may be surprised to know that most Americans, regardless of their religious identification, believe the Ten Commandments are still... read more

As slaves in Egypt, the Israelites were exposed to the polytheism of the Egyptians; the catalog of Egyptian gods and goddesses numbered at... read more

A common erroneous belief in Christianity is that the Old Testament is focused on the law and works, and the New Testament is when God introduces salvation by faith alone. Someone who believes this will often compartmentalize God, describing the Old Testament God as “just” and the New Testament God as “merciful.” read more

For as long as written legal systems have existed, many similarities emerge across centuries, geographic locations, and people groups. ... read more

In our brief tour of God’s creation, we have visited two vastly different members of the animal kingdom: the dinosaur and the ant. It’s... read more

Your only experience with ants most likely involves a home infestation and a desperate call to the exterminator! No one wants to see ants hiking along the kitchen counter or building mounds along the back decking. Have you ever stopped and observed ants for a moment or two? When our children were younger, we purchased a small “ant farm” inside a plexiglass container where we could watch them working. King Solomon didn’t have a plexiglass container, but he did write, “Go to the ant, O sluggard, observe her ways and be wise” (Proverbs 6:6). read more

In 1993, the world was shocked by a cultural phenomenon unlike they had ever seen before. Steven Spielberg’s film, Jurassic Park, shattered worldwide box office records, becoming the highest-grossing film worldwide to that point in film history. And the franchise’s significance hasn’t decreased as time has gone on. In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, theaters decided to rerelease classic movies in theaters due to the shortage of new films. In late June of 2020, 23 years after the original release of Jurassic Park, the film again rose to No. 1 at the box office. Thus far, the Jurassic Park franchise has made over $5 billion in box office tickets alone. read more