Life's Inanities and Ironies

In an age where the name of Christ is increasingly mocked, where biblical morality is labeled “hate,” and where even many who profess Christianity have compromised with the spirit of the age, maintaining a clear, consistent testimony for the Lord Jesus Christ has never been more challenging—or more necessary. The apostle Paul warned young Timothy that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). Our Lord Himself declared, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18).  Yet by the grace of God and the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, it is possible to hold fast our testimony even unto death, as the saints in Revelation did: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death” (Revelation 12:11). This post explores the biblical reality of the struggle, examples from Scripture of those who succeeded by faith, the unique pressu...

Based on 1 Kings 17:1 (KJV) “And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” In these days of deepening apostasy, when many churches have compromised with the world and the culture openly celebrates what God calls abomination, the account of Elijah the Tishbite shines like a beacon. God has always raised up men and women who would stand for Him when it was costly. Elijah’s sudden appearance before the most powerful and wicked king in Israel’s history gives us a timeless picture of what it truly means to be **a man sent from God**. The Spiritual Darkness of Ahab’s Reign King Ahab “did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him” (1 Kings 16:30). His marriage to the wicked Jezebel imported the vile worship of Baal and Asherah into the northern kingdom on a national scale. Ahab built a temple for Baal in Samaria and ...

This is written with a heavy and grieving heart for one who has been like a daughter or granddaughter to me. I am deeply troubled and at a loss to understand how someone I know loves both God and her family so dearly could allow herself to be influenced into turning her back on the very people who raised her in the faith and taught her to walk with the Lord. It is my earnest hope that these words, rooted in the unchanging truth of Scripture, will reach her. If she reads them, may the Holy Spirit bring gentle conviction, repentance, and the sweet restoration only God can give. If she does not see this, then I ask those of you who do to join me in prayer for her and her family—that our merciful Heavenly Father would intervene in His perfect timing, soften hearts, break the power of wrong influence, and bring healing and reconciliation according to His Word. If you are the young woman described in this scenario—a girl who has walked faithfully with the Lord, only to turn sharply against y...

1 Kings 2:36-46 (KJV)* In a world that constantly erases lines—moral lines, doctrinal lines, personal conviction lines, and even the sacred boundary between holy and profane—God’s Word still draws clear, immovable lines. One of the most sobering examples is found in the early days of King Solomon’s reign. The passage before us is not a dusty relic of ancient history; it is the living, breathing Word of God that speaks directly to every believer who has ever been tempted to test the limits of divine mercy. The Backstory: Why a Line Was Necessary Before we ever reach 1 Kings 2:36, we must understand why Shimei was even in this position. Shimei was a Benjamite from Bahurim, a man connected to the fallen house of Saul. During Absalom’s rebellion, when David was fleeing Jerusalem in humiliation, Shimei came out cursing David “continually” and throwing stones at the king and his mighty men (2 Samuel 16:5-8). He called David a “man of Belial” and declared that the Lord was finally repaying hi...

Flowers appear throughout Scripture as part of God’s beautiful creation, used both literally and figuratively to teach profound spiritual truths. They illustrate themes of **beauty and loveliness**, **God’s tender provision**, **the brevity of human life**, **purity and cleansing**, **watchfulness**, **restoration**, and **distinction** amid a fallen world. For a fundamentalist Christian approach, we begin with the plain, literal sense of the text and the historical-botanical context, then draw legitimate applications and typological lessons that align with the whole counsel of Scripture—especially pointing to Christ, holiness, trust in God, and the enduring Word. We avoid speculative or overly allegorical readings not supported by the Bible itself. Here is a focused survey of the most significant flowers and plants mentioned, with key verses, context, and spiritual significance. 1. The Lily (and Lily of the Valleys) — Purity, Humility, Provision, and Distinction The lily is one of the...

**Text: Song of Solomon 2:1-2 (KJV)**   “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.” Beloved, the Song of Solomon is more than an ancient love poem between King Solomon and the Shulamite maiden. While it celebrates the pure, passionate love God designed for marriage, the Holy Spirit has also given it to the Church as a rich picture of the relationship between Christ, our heavenly Bridegroom, and His blood-bought Bride—the Church, and every individual believer who belongs to Him. In these two verses we are given a striking contrast. The bride speaks with beautiful humility. The Bridegroom answers with tender exaltation. Together they paint a portrait that every blood-washed child of God needs to see clearly in these dark and thorny days. I. The Humble Lily – How the Bride Saw Herself The Shulamite says, “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.” The “rose of Sharon” was not the cultivated, long...

The eighth chapter of 2 Corinthians forms the foundation for one of the most practical and grace-centered teachings on Christian giving in the New Testament. In this passage, the Apostle Paul addresses a collection he is taking up for the impoverished saints in Jerusalem. He holds up the Macedonian churches as a shining example and urges the Corinthians to complete what they had begun a year earlier. While the chapter does not command a specific percentage (the New Testament does not repeat the Old Testament tithe as a binding law for the church), it overflows with rich principles of **grace giving**. These truths flow from the gospel itself and find their highest motivation in the person and work of Christ. Here is a clear, verse-by-verse exploration of the key giving principles in 2 Corinthians 8. 1. Giving Is a Work of God’s Grace (vv. 1, 6–7) > “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia… Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as...

“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” — Ephesians 5:15-16 (KJV) Beloved, we live in a world that is more connected than any generation before us — yet many of God’s people feel more distracted, anxious, and spiritually shallow than ever. Smartphones, social media, endless notifications, and streaming services promise connection and convenience, but too often they become modern yokes that entangle our hearts and steal the hours God has given us for His glory. The same Lord who commands us, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers… come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing” (2 Corinthians 6:14, 17), is also calling us to wise separation in the digital realm. Digital minimalism, when grounded in Scripture rather than secular self-help, is simply a practical outworking of biblical holiness, stewardship, and the call to set our affection on things above ...

In our hyper-connected digital age, where smartphones keep the world in our pockets and social media promises constant companionship, the Word of God issues a startling command: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” The Apostle Paul’s words to the Corinthian church are not outdated relics. They are a living call to every believer who longs to walk in purity while the culture around us grows darker and more entangled by the hour. The same Lord who saved us still says, “Come out from among them, and be ye separate… and touch not the unclean thing.” The Command and the Contrasts Paul does not mince words. He asks five piercing questions that expose the impossibility of spiritual union between light and darkness: - What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?   - What communion hath light with darkness?   - What concord hath Christ with Belial?   - What part hath he that believeth with an infidel?   - What agreement hath t...

I was a very fortunate young man. When I first began high school in the small town of Argos, Indiana, the Lord in His kind providence connected me with a group of young people who would become friends for the rest of my life. This vibrant Christian group influenced me in ways I am still discovering more than fifty years later. It was not only those young people themselves, but their families who left such a profound and lasting impact upon me. At that critical season of life, I learned far more about what a true Christian home should look like simply by watching them than I ever learned in my own home. No matter how earnestly I tried over the years, I was never able to fully replicate the warmth, the godliness, and the Christ-centered atmosphere I observed in those homes. How I wished I could have! What brought all of this into sharper focus for me was the news, just a couple of days ago, that one of the "kids" from one of those families had unexpectedly been called home to b...

Scripture Focus: 2 Corinthians 5:10 (KJV) > "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." There is a coming day that no blood-bought believer can escape. It is not the Great White Throne judgment reserved for the lost. It is the Judgment Seat of Christ — the Bema Seat — where every Christian will give an account for the life we lived in these mortal bodies. The Apostle Paul writes with Spirit-inspired clarity: *we must all appear*. There will be no exceptions among the redeemed. This is not a judgment to determine our salvation. That question was forever settled at the cross when we trusted in the finished work of Jesus Christ. We are justified by faith alone. But our *works* — our service, our motives, our stewardship, and our faithfulness — will be examined in the blazing light of His holy presence. Works Tested by Fire The Bible is clear in 1...