by Ray Viola | Sep 15, 2021 | Contemporary Christianity
I think one of the most unusually comforting thoughts for me as a pastor is the imperfection of the church in the book of Acts and following epistles. If you examine those Scriptures closely, you’ll find that we are not much different than they were. Deifying the...
by Ray Viola | Sep 14, 2021 | Devotionals
Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Colossians 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil...
by Ray Viola | Sep 13, 2021 | Contemporary Christianity
Smack dab in the middle of Jesus’ discourse on the days prior to His coming, He warns us with these words, “Remember Lot’s wife.” (Luke 17:32) She looked back on Sodom and turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26). The tragic error of Lot’s wife was that she placed...
by Ray Viola | Sep 12, 2021 | Devotionals
As any good athletic coach knows, a good part of preparing for game day is done by reviewing the opponent’s past games and seeing how they attack and defend themselves. So it is in spiritual warfare; we are not to be ignorant of Satan’s wiles. You see, Satan is...
by Ray Viola | Sep 11, 2021 | Devotionals
One hundred and sixty-three times God speaks this admonition in the Scriptures to His people – “Fear not!” Usually when the Lord says “fear not” He’s addressing someone or some particular group of people who are frightened or troubled about some particular...