Why would a person---who loves Jesus and seeks to live a life that pleases Him---be reproached or even suffer for His Name's sake? The answer is simple: The Master's message is not one that the world wants to hear! The Gospel narrows the idea that all roads lead to...

How can a high and holy God inhabit contrition? Those are two contrasting images. Jesus accomplished this when He went to the cross, and He became sin, Who knew no sin so that, in Him, we might become the righteousness of God. He became what He wants us to become . ....

Though God is high and holy, He chose to come and live among ordinary, sinful people when Jesus was born of Mary. Even more remarkable is that, through Jesus, contrite and lowly people can be lifted up to dwell with God in His eternal kingdom. Please open your Bible...

The bad news is that fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, abusers of themselves with mankind, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, and extortioners shall not inherit the kingdom of God. The good news is that such people can be transformed by the Gospel...

By grace through faith in Jesus Christ, people can become sons of God. Remarkably, the Lord makes it possible for people like you and me to become joint heirs with Christ through the Spirit of adoption. If you have not done so already, call upon the name of the Lord...

God says that the fearful, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. Becasue of this, people cry, “How can a God of love or a good God send people to...

God’s holiness simultaneously breeds within our hearts deep attractiveness and trembling horror. Amazingly, His holiness dwelt within a human baby in such a humble form, that He not only could identify with sinful man, but He could also even identify with the animals...

One day, God’s throne and His heavenly city will move from heaven to rest on a new earth. Then, and for all eternity, God will dwell with and among men, whom Jesus has redeemed by His blood. An important prelude to this event happened about two thousand years ago: God...

Today’s passage foretold the birth of a child, given by God, Who would be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. These titles point to the divine nature and eternal reign of Jesus Christ, Who brings wisdom, strength, fatherly...

The incarnation, or human birth of Jesus Christ, was not His beginning. He is our ever-present wonderful Counselor and mighty God that created us! God was first manifest in the flesh as a baby in a manger when He added humanity to His deity. He then grew to become...

Why was Jesus born? According to Scripture, the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, often celebrated as Christmas, is the proclamation of the Gospel, which is the good news that God the Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins. Through God’s grace, sinners who...

Jesus often spoke of the reason for His first coming for our sin, but He actually said much more about His second coming to usher in a new kingdom, wherein dwells righteousness. Our prayer for you this year is that the real meaning of Christmas would be much more than...

The ancient city of Philadelphia was originally intended to be a city that would spread Hellenism to the surrounding region. However, Christ used a small church congregation in that city as a missionary outpost to spread to the Gospel to a lost and dying world. The...

Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to the Church. Jesus wants His churches---and the people in them---to be Spirit-filled and Spirit-led, not driven by the desires of men or guided by worldly precepts. In His letter to the church at Sardis, Jesus had to rebuke them for their...

The victorious Christian life is not a passive one. Every message that Jesus gave to the church exhorted, commanded, and, in some cases, called to repentance. At the end of the day, however, we have the power to overcome only because of the One---that overcame on the...

In His letters to seven Asian churches, Jesus made different promises to those whom He called overcomers within each church. In an inspired epistle, the Apostle John defined an overcomer as someone that believes that Jesus is the Son of God---Meaning that they believe...

Jesus sent a message to a church in Smyrna. He had high praise for them, because, though they were financially destitute, they were spiritually rich. Saints in Smyrna were persecuted---and even martyred---for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Accordingly, Jesus promised...

In the book of Revelation, Jesus sent seven messages to seven different churches in Asia. In these messages, He revealed certain things about Himslef to them, and He also gave them several promises. Please open your Bible to Revelation chapter two, verse one, and...

Today's passage contains John's vision of Jesus. Imagine His glistening hair, His face shining brighter than the sun. Christ's eyes as a flame of fire, His feet glowing as if in a furnace, and His thundering voice. What would you do if you had such an encounter with...

Today's passage is one of the most profound statements of the deity of Jesus Christ in all of Scripture. It is a description of our Lord that fills our hearts with wonder, awe, and amazement. It is a description of our coming King. Please open your Bible to Revelation...

Jesus brought ultimate truth into this world—the truth that God offers eternal life. Not only did He declare this truth, but He also made it possible for us to partake of it by faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection. Please open your Bible to John chapter eighteen,...

When Pontius Pilate stood face to face with Jesus, the Roman governor’s cynicism collided with eternal purpose. As Jesus declared His mission to bear witness to the truth, Pilate scoffed with the haunting question: “What is truth?” Please open your Bible to John...

Forty days after His resurrection from the dead, Jesus ascended into heaven. Angels told witnesses to His ascension, that Jesus would one day come again from heaven to earth. Are you ready for His return, which will be with power and great glory? Reach out to Him...

Spirit-filled saints of the early Church, personally and congregationally carried out their faith with a holy boldness that could not be stopped. Remarkably, a vast majority of them (including the apostles) were considered by the religious “elite” of the day as being...

Luke, the author of Acts, gave us an eyewitness account of how the Gospel of Jesus Christ spread across the then-known world—through ordinary people like you and me. What made this possible? The power of the Holy Spirit came upon them, enabling them to do what they...

How do you stand when life doesn’t make sense? First, worship your Creator and Redeemer simply for Who He is—not for what He gives or what He takes away. Next, surrender yourself to Him without reservation, especially in times of trial and tragedy. Finally, anchor...

Life doesn’t always make sense—but how we respond when it doesn’t reveals the depth of our faith. Long before the Bible was penned, Job lived as a wealthy and godly man. In a stunning sequence of loss, Satan stripped him of his children, his fortune, and his health....

The last time someone accused you of wrongdoing, what was your reaction? Denial, argument, or defensiveness? Scripture says that, at the final judgment, the entire world will be silent before God. No excuses or arguments will remain. Have you reached the point with...

In the Bible, sin literally means missing the mark. What is that mark? Simply stated, it is perfection in thought, word, deed, and motive. Needless to say, everyone has sinned, and the wages of sin is death, which is eternal separation from God. However, there is good...

If we believe that Jesus is coming soon, then how should we be living? Whether you are a student, homemaker, employee, or employer, vocational evangelism is a key to spreading the Gospel to a lost and dying world. Please open your Bible to Second Thessalonians chapter...

Today’s passage calls us to spiritual diligence, steadfast faith, and the grace to finish well. In a world filled with distraction and disorder, Paul exhorted the Thessalonian believers to live responsibly and prayerfully. God is not calling us to wait passively on a...

Last time, we began exploring Paul’s sobering words about the events leading up to Christ’s return. Today, we will begin with a closer look at the mysterious figure Paul calls the son of perdition—a man of lawlessness destined for destruction. Please open your Bible...

Many believers hold different views about how the last days will unfold before Christ’s return. However, regardless of the timeline or interpretation, Scripture calls every believer to the same daily mission: Live a Gospel-centered, fruit-bearing, God-glorifying life!...

God is just—and all men are sinners. So how can God save sinners without compromising His justice? Because Jesus bore the full weight of eternal destruction on the cross, satisfying the Father’s righteous demand to punish all sin, all who accept this gift of salvation...

In a world obsessed with timelines and speculation, the early church faced a similar temptation—to get lost in esoteric minor details of prophecy and miss the important, indisputable truths of Christ’s return. Today’s passage reminds believers that the Second Coming...

In his closing words to the Thessalonian Christians, the Apostle Paul delivered a rapid-fire series of exhortations—calling believers to honor spiritual leadership, pursue peace, and walk in holiness as we await Christ’s return. God wants us to remember that...

God has spiritual overseers—pastors, elders, and deacons—within the Church so that the Body of Christ may function in an orderly and edifying way. In today’s passage, the Apostle Paul exhorted believers to recognize and respect those who labored among them and led...

In today’s passage, the Apostle Paul urges believers to live with spiritual alertness—putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of the hope of salvation. God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. These...

Jesus can come for His Bride, the Church, at any moment. That is why there is great personal and eternal danger in delaying the acknowledgment that Jesus Christ is God—and in repenting of your sin as you receive Him as your personal Lord and Savior. Right now is the...

In today’s passage, the Apostle Paul reminds us that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While believers may differ on the timing of the Rapture, one truth remains: Jesus will come suddenly—and we must be ready! That reality should shape how we...

Today’s passage centers on a truth that shaped the Apostles’ lives—and should shape ours: the imminent return of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians with urgency and hope, reminding them that whether believers have died or are still alive, we should all be...

Christ’s return is at hand. This does not mean that we should drop everything and wait on a hilltop. As a testimony to others, we are called to love others more and more, work with our own hands, and study to show ourselves to be approved, because Jesus wants us to...

Sanctification touches every corner of daily life. As we consider what it truly means to walk in step with the God who dwells within us, we must realize that rejecting this call is not a rejection of man—it is a rejection of God, Who gives us His Holy Spirit....

In a world that constantly blurs the lines of holiness and love, today’s passage cuts through the fog with clarity and urgency. God’s call to walk in a way that pleases Him is not just a suggestion—it is a command! Sanctification through sexual purity, brotherly love,...

In today’s passage, Paul shifted his focus from concern to intercession. He prayed that the Thessalonian believers would grow in love and be established in holiness before God. What sets the child of God apart from the world is not superiority, but a calling to walk...

After expressing his deep concern for the Thessalonian believers, Paul reminded them that trials and afflictions should not be a surprise—they are part of the Christian journey. In fact, he had warned them in advance that suffering would come. But rather than...

When the apostle Paul was forced to leave Thessalonica under pressure after only a few weeks, his heart remained with the young believers he had to leave behind. Though separated by distance, he was deeply concerned for their spiritual well-being. In his first letter...

The Thessalonians endured fierce persecution for their faith in Jesus, but their eternal hope in Christ gave them the strength to stand firm with joy. That same hope should stir our hearts today—not only to persevere in trials, but to boldly share the Gospel with...

Paul was deeply moved that the Thessalonians received his message not as mere human words, but as the very word of God. That faith had a powerful, transforming effect—giving them strength to endure persecution with unwavering joy. Paul cherished them deeply, calling...

Just as a mother helps her young child to feel secure, the cross provides believers with security and comfort. Like a father, the cross challenges us, for Jesus told us to take up our crosses and follow Him. In other words, just as a mother provides security and a...

To the Apostle Paul, the Thessalonian Christians were more than just another church: He regarded them as his spiritual children. As such, he explained how he and his team nurtured them like a mother with a nursing child. However, in a fatherly way, they also...

In Paul’s day, the church at Thessalonica had a powerful witness that spread the Gospel to the entire province of Achaia in Macedonia. Even more astonishing, these young believers stood firm and spread the Gospel despite facing intense persecution. Our world is...

Paul, Silas, and Timothy wrote a letter to the church in Thessalonica, expressing gratitude for their faith, love, and steadfast hope in Jesus Christ. Paul commended the Thessalonians for their exemplary faith: Shortly after their conversion, these former idolaters...

Paul’s closing remarks to Christians at Colossae contained three key elements: companionship, specificity, and a personal touch. Part one concerned companionship in which Tychicus came to Colossae to update the brethren on how Paul was doing. Please open your Bible to...

Did you know that Paul’s final words to the Colossians were filled with personal messages? These weren’t just formal goodbyes—they were words of encouragement, gratitude, and unity. His specific and personal words helped to knit them together in Christ. By...

Though he was incarcerated for proclaiming the Gospel, Paul requested prayer for an open door and for boldness to speak the truth. An open door from God does not always mean smooth sailing or absence of opposition. Rather than keep quiet, which would have made life...

Today’s passage is an exhortation from the Apostle Paul that encourages believers to continue praying, to continue walking, and to continue proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even in the face of opposition. In other words, today’s teaching concerns the ordinary...

A healthy marriage requires mutual love and godly submission. God wants husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the Church. This requires personal sacrifice and submission to God as his ultimate authority, because stubborness and selfishness are like cancer to a...

Enduring relationships are becoming increasingly rare in today’s world. A key foundational element required to build or repair a marriage or family is personal commitment to Jesus and submission to His word. Today’s message explains God’s design for a healthy marriage...

Whatever we say and do should be in harmony with us setting our affections on things above. If our minds are set on things above, then it should be reflected in what we say and do every moment of every day. Our Christian life is always on display; whether we like it...

Having told his readers things that needed to be put off once they became new creatures in Christ (such as anger, covetousness, and fornication), Paul then admonished the people of Colosse to put on several things like mercy, humility, and agape love. Please open your...

The Lord wants born-again believers to mortify earthly behaviors such as immorality, greed, and anger, which are contrary to His will. Paul urged Christians to embrace the life of a new creature in Christ that reflects His image. Paul also emphasized the unity and...

Walking in holiness is an ongoing process of repentance and sanctification. Holiness is choosing to put on the new man in Christ and leave the old life behind. If we are truly raised with Jesus Christ, then it will be evident in our lives, our attitudes, and our...

When Jesus died on the cross, He blotted out our bill of debt that we owed because of our sins. That means that Christ not only paid our sin debt in full, He literally erased any record that our sin debt ever even existed! What a great and merciful God we serve!...

In Paul’s day, Judaizers tried to convince Gentile Christians that they needed to be circumcised to be saved. In other words, as many cults erroneously teach today, Christ’s work is insufficient in and of itself to save you. The gospel that saves is not faith in Jesus...

The Apostle Paul wanted the Christians at Colosse to be rooted and built up in Christ. We should be careful to also note that, besides having sound doctrine, he also wanted them to abound with thanksgiving, because thanklessness for what God has provided will hinder...

Secular and worldly philosophies comprise the efforts of fallen men to determine, apart from the Scriptures, the ultimate causes in the earth and the universe. They seek to answer questions like, how did the universe come about? Why was I born? What is my purpose in...

Paul was a man that had a shepherd’s heart. He was driven by the love of Christ, as well as a God-given concern for the spiritual welfare of the saints in Colossae, Laodicea and for those who had never met him. Paul prayed that these believers would be knit together...

Striving for Christian maturity doesn’t mean endlessly working to make ourselves better. On the cross, Christ bore all our wicked immaturity so that, through faith, we might be clothed in His perfect maturity. True Christian maturity, then, is about learning to enjoy...

Have you ever wondered what it means to truly grow in your faith? Every believer is called to strive for Christian maturity—a life marked by knowledge of God’s will, fruitfulness, overflowing joy in Him, and an unwavering fixation on Christ above all else. But here is...

Christians have overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. Christians have been delivered from Satan’s domain. The key verbs are in the past tense, because it is a fact that your salvation has already been accomplished, if you have...

Today’s section of Scripture gives us a glimpse into the prayer life of Paul and Timothy. These Spirit-inspired passages provide us some wonderful things that we can be praying for one another. Whenever we pray for another person, we are making a divine deposit into...

Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians while he was imprisoned in Rome waiting for his trial before Caesar. He wrote this epistle to combat heretical teachings that had crept into the church, many of which persist in the church today. Please open your Bible to...

Jesus is coming back for His Bride. This event, sometimes called the Rapture, is a certain future event, but no one knows when it will happen. Are you excited about this? More importantly, are you ready for Jesus to return? Please open your Bible to Second Peter...

When the day of the Lord does come, it will be unexpected like a thief in the night. A mighty conflagration will dissolve the heavens and the earth with all its works. In anticipation of such things, Peter wanted Christians to focus on holy conduct and godliness,...

At the end of the Day of the Lord, God will pour out His wrath on the earth and consume it with fire. Many, even Christians, scoff at this idea, because God has delayed His final reckoning for so long. However, God has deferred His judgment to establish His mercy,...

In his final epistle to Christians, Peter reminded them of the promise of the Lord’s return and the importance of living holy lives in anticipation of that day. He addressed the skepticism of scoffers who question the promise of Christ’s return, emphasizing that His...

False teachers often resemble Balaam, whom the king of Midian hired to curse Israel. They falsely pose as spokesmen for God, and they often induce others to sin. Moreover, like Balaam, false teachers attempt to use their ministries as a means of self-enrichment. To...

The Old Testament contains examples of God judging men and angels for falling away from Him. God wanted His judgments on fallen angels, antediluvian people, and the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah to discourage others from living ungodly lifestyles. Fortunately,...

False teachers tend to be greedy. Many have chosen the ministry as a lucrative profession, seeking to build a large following so that they could become wealthy. Camouflaging heretical teachings and corrupt morals by lifting words of Scripture out of context, they...

After Peter wrote of prophets of the Old Testament that spoke and wrote as the Holy Spirit moved them, he then began to discuss false prophets and false teachers that had already begun to plague the Church. These masters of deception use biblical terms and orthodox...

What Peter, James, and John saw on the Mount of Transfiguration did not set aside the prophecies of the Old Testament, rather, it confirmed them. All Scripture originated with God, not man. As such, the word of the prophets, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is sure and...

When Peter wrote his second epistle, he knew that his death was near. This gave him added impetus to care for the spiritual needs of God’s people with his remaining time. He described his imminent death as laying aside his earthly tent. Since we do not know when Jesus...

For a fruitful Christian life, saving faith must be supplemented with holiness. Peter described seven elements of holiness that must simultaneously accompany one’s faith. We now rejoin Pastor Ray Viola’s message on Second Peter chapter one, verses five through eleven,...

Walking in the grace of God, and walking in the power of the Holy Spirit is not a passive endeavor, nor is it easy. Though God has given us everything that we need for godly living, it requires diligence on our part to cultivate it. Please open your Bible to Second...

True Christians should have a desire to spend time with Jesus, reading His word, praying, and fellowshipping with other believers. As we do, we should begin to take on His characteristics. As Peter wrote, we should become partakers of His divine nature. Please open...

Peter opened his second general epistle by first stating that he was a bondservant of Jesus Christ before mentioning his apostleship. He humbly recognized that he was first and foremost a servant by choice and an Apostle by divine appointment. We too must recognize...

God does not like it when leaders within His Church misrepresent Him, especially when they do it for personal gain. Sound doctrine and spiritual discernment are vital defenses against these charlatans. Most of a Christian’s rewards are yet future and eternal. Jesus...

God does not like it when leaders within His Church misrepresent Him, especially when they do it for personal gain. Sound doctrine and spiritual discernment are vital defenses against these charlatans. Most of a Christian’s rewards are yet future and eternal. Jesus...

Scripture tells us not to be ashamed of the Gospel. Whenever we are persecuted for sharing the Gospel or a biblical truth, we are not doing anything wrong. However, we should take care not do anything that dishonors or misrepresents the name of the Lord. We should be...

Why would a person that loves Jesus and seeks to live a life that pleases Him, be reproached or even suffer for His Name’s sake? The answer is simple. The world does not want to hear the Master’s message: The Gospel narrows the idea that all roads lead to heaven down...

Our cultural attitudes find the idea of living for someone else to be repulsive. However, in reality, all of us are servants to something in a motivational sense. That is, whatever it may be, something motivates everyone to live, and they are servants of that thing....

Peter admonished his readers to no longer walk in the old ways, which often included drinking, sexual immorality, and idolatry. Though the blood of Jesus protects us from the wrath of God’s judgment, we will have to stand before Jesus one day and make an account of...

Today’s passage teaches some important things about Christ’s sacrifical death. Jesus’ death on the cross was unrepeatable. Jesus’ death on the cross was substitutionary, and His death on the cross was reconciling. That is, Jesus died once for our sins, in our place,...

Jesus’ death on the cross was a sacrificial death. He died for sins, but not His own, for He never sinned. He was the only perfect man and the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. As Isaiah wrote: He was wounded for our transgressions . . . bruised for our iniquities and...

Submission in a Christian marriage is all about you and your relationship to God. Any relational conflicts or disturbances in a Christian marriage usually stem from disobedience to the lordship of Jesus Christ, because every time Christians are called to submit to...

In today’s society we see nearly everyone fighting for their own rights. This makes submission an unpopular idea, because society views it from a horizontal perspective rather than a vertical one. Ultimately, every time Christians are called to submit, we are really...

                              Submission is not an act of worship to the person in authority. We are worshiping and honoring God when we submit to His appointed leaders, whether they are in our...

Peter exhorted us to live lives of separation from carnal lusts and worldly systems. For example, we should not behave as worldly people that give more honor to the rich, beautiful, or educated than those who were endowed with less. However, we are oblidged to submit...

Jesus is the Stone that saves some and causes others to stumble. To the Christian, He is the Precious Cornerstone of our faith, but to the world, Jesus is not precious at all. One cannot use popular opinion to judge something’s value. The world was wrong about Jesus...