In the days before the printing press, the Old Testament books were copied by hand. The scribes developed a stringent set of rules to keep errors from occurring. First, they would count all the letters on the page. Then, after they had copied the page, they would count the letters on the copy to see... read more »

That’s not fair. Why did she get a raise and I didn’t? I do just as much work as she does!” “Why was he chosen to lead the project when I’ve been here longer?” I should get what I deserve is a work ethic that many of us live by. So we easily identify with the first-called workers in the... read more »

The Hebrews’ life was literally changed overnight. For generations they had been slaves in Egypt—born as slaves, raised as slaves, and died as slaves. It was beyond their wildest imagination that they would ever be set free. Now 2 million of them were traversing out of Egypt to a new land. But... read more »

Holiness is perhaps one of the most misunderstood terms of our time. A study by The Barna Group reveals that though the Bible talks a lot about holiness, most people are confused and even apprehensive about what it means. Pastor Ray Stedman observed, “Most of us associate [holiness] with some kind... read more »

Are you feeling weary, discouraged, weak, or disillusioned in serving God? Well, you’re not alone. That’s where Timothy is when we read 2 Timothy:1-4 and that’s where all of us are some of the time and where some of us are most of the time. When one is involved in the noble fight for the souls... read more »

How much money does one need to be happy? According to a study from Princeton University, it’s $75,000 (US dollars) a year. The study claims that the lower a person’s annual income falls below that benchmark, the unhappier he or she will be. At a recent trip to a rural district in Thailand,... read more »

My dad is a hard-working man. He works 6 days a week. During his off-days, he’s always tinkering with something in the house—fixing the fan or cleaning something. Colleagues of mine who also know my dad have remarked that being industrious is a trait that runs in my family. Is diligence an... read more »

Here are some things people might say to excuse themselves from worshiping and serving God: “I’m tired.” “I feel unappreciated.” “I don’t want to do it.” Would we use such excuses with our employers? Hmm. . . I doubt it. So why is it that we dare to use them with God? That was... read more »

Seventeen-year-old Chris sits on the sofa looking sullen. His father tries to reason with him and tells him with tears that he’s greatly grieved with him. Chris’ dad feels wounded by the ingratitude he’s received, even after lovingly caring for his son. In response, the boy snorts, “Really?... read more »

In the foreword of R. C. Sproul’s book Knowing Scripture, J. I. Packer writes: “If I were the devil . . . one of my first aims would be to stop folk from digging into the Bible. . . . How? Well, I should try to distract all clergy from preaching and teaching the Bible, and spread the feeling... read more »