by Pastor Ray Viola | Oct 21, 2023 | Contemporary Christianity
Scripture tells us that children are the heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is His reward. The responsibility of Christian parents is to follow the command to raise the children which God gives us “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” This training...
by Pastor Ray Viola | Oct 16, 2023 | Contemporary Christianity
Onesiphorus is referred to by Paul as a brother who often refreshed him.1 The Greek word for refreshed means “to relieve or cool down.” Paul, writing from prison acknowledges thanks for the refreshing ministry of his brother. How important for us to follow in the...
by Pastor Ray Viola | Oct 15, 2023 | Contemporary Christianity
King Herod was troubled at the news of the birth of Jesus.1 This was because, if Jesus were King – and indeed He is2 – then Herod was no longer in that place of supremacy. How important it is for us to resist that spirit of Herod. Herod acted like he was...
by Pastor Ray Viola | Oct 3, 2023 | Contemporary Christianity
On my recent trip to India the Lord brought clarity in my heart about ‘Church life’ or life in the Spirit. Each of us who are in Christ craves for a deeper, more meaningful walk with Jesus. Likewise, we all seek to experience the moving of God’s Spirit as recorded in...
by Pastor Ray Viola | Sep 27, 2023 | Contemporary Christianity
In the last chapter of Galatians we are once again introduced to the practical application of the doctrines taught earlier in the book. A great example of this usefulness is found in the book of Romans: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that...
by Pastor Ray Viola | Sep 26, 2023 | Contemporary Christianity
Jesus said to each church He addressed in Revelation chapters 2 and 3: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” I find it interesting that each church was not only spoken to individually, but Jesus exhorted them to take heed to what the...