All of us need encouragement at one time or another. Sometimes we become discouraged with circumstances, or with the people we have to work or live with; and sometimes we even become discouraged with ourselves. Jesus Christ is the “Great Encourager.” During His ministry here on Earth, He never became discouraged no matter how difficult the situation became. Isaiah 42:4 says of Jesus, “He shall not fail nor be discouraged…” Because He was never discouraged, He is able to encourage you and me.
Several times we hear Jesus saying, “Be of good cheer!” Literally, this greeting means, “Take heart! Don’t …
The most important thing a Christian does is to worship God. Worship is the foundation for everything else we do. As you read Hebrews 11, you discover a progressive spiritual experience in these men of faith. Arthur Pink, the well-known Bible student, points out that in Enoch we have the walkof faith; in Noah, the workof faith; but in Abel—the first man named in Hebrews 11—we have the worshipof faith. Our walk, our work, our witness, all depend upon our worship. And yet worship seems to be the one privilege (and responsibility) that we Christians neglect the …
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s …
Stephen had finished serving the tables with the other deacons, and his heart was burdened to witness for Christ. He wanted to tell his fellow Jews that he had found the Messiah—Jesus Christ, the Son of God. There were 480 synagogues in Jerusalem at that time, and Stephen headed for the “Synagogue of the Freedmen.” This synagogue was built by the descendants of the Jews who had been slaves in Rome and had been set free. They were proud of their freedom—and yet they themselves were really slaves. Stephen was the freeman—he was the …
