Have you ever made a decision that you later regretted? It has been said that we make thousands of decisions or choices each day. That is a lot! Most of these are inconsequential, but there are sure to be some that have lasting impact, good or bad.

No one wants to...

My wife and I have traveled to many places around the world, so she has heard my impressions about various locations a number of times. One that comes to mind is our first trip to Newfoundland, Canada. It took place in the winter, and after our arrival at the airport in...

Romans 8:37 declares, “We are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” This is a bold statement because Christians do not always feel like “conquerors.” At times, the trials of life press us and we feel burdened. Perhaps people have oppressed us because we do not look or act...

As we look forward at the beginning of a new year, it is also good to look back over the past year of 2020 and remember how God has helped us.

In 1 Samuel 7, verses 11 and 12, we read of a time when the Prophet Samuel established a marker...

 

Christ in the Quarantine From a sermon by Raju Rayudu, the District Superintendent of Andhra Pradesh State and pastor of the India headquarters church in Kaikavolu.

When the world went into quarantine because of the COVID-19 pandemic, no doubt the devil was happy to see all our churches closed. He may have...

Technology is amazing. Satellite imaging, radar, and drones have made it fairly easy to track storms—particularly hurricanes. Not only that, but often meteorologists are able to predict the category of a hurricane and at times, estimate when it will reach landfall. Even though storms continue to cause devastation, this type...

As the Israelites were preparing to cross the Jordan River into the land of Canaan, they received an encouraging message from God through their leader Joshua: “To morrow the Lord will do wonders among you” (Joshua 3:5). This was the day they had long been waiting for. God had first...

In 2011, my wife and I went through one of the most difficult times of our life when our young son passed away. He had first become ill in 2006. At that time, we took him to the hospital after one of his lungs collapsed, and while preparing to transfer...

If the books of the New Testament were arranged according to their dates of composition, the book of 1 Thessalonians would come first. Paul the Apostle wrote the epistle in about A.D. 50 or 51, some twenty years after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, and likely before any of the Gospels...

National crisis has been in the headlines and on all of our minds this year. In the Book of Habakkuk, the eighth of the twelve minor prophets, we find the prophet Habakkuk grieved and burdened during a time of national crisis in his nation of Judah. Habakkuk was faithful to...

After the Resurrection and before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He met with the eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee and charged them with what is now known as the “Great Commission.” He said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach...

The Apostle Paul wrote his epistle to the church at Philippi during his first imprisonment in Rome. During that time of incarceration, no doubt he thought often of the little congregations he had established on his missionary journeys. We sense his affection for the believers in Philippi in his words,...

Waiting is defined as “the action of staying where one is, or delaying action until a particular time or until something else happens.” It is not a passive state, but rather something that requires effort. It is also something all believers must deal with as we walk this Christian pathway.

David...

Daniel 12:3 states, “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” Turning many to righteousness has always been a core purpose of the Apostolic Faith organization.

From the early days of the...

The atonement of Jesus Christ is a theme that runs throughout the entire Bible—it is at the very heart of God’s redemptive purpose for humanity. In secular usage, the word atonement refers to reparation for a wrong or injury; it is derived from Anglo-Saxon words meaning “making at one.” Atonement...

In his epistle, the Apostle James made the observation that “if any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body” (James 3:2). James was the half-brother of our Lord Jesus, and leader of the Jerusalem church. It must have...

To inform people of a fact is different than reminding them of a fact. To inform is to provide information not previously known; to remind is to relate information previously known but at risk of being forgotten. We heard an example of the difference in our church service today. If...

 

Faith Sees Victory! From a sermon by Elvido Ortiz, a minister of the Apostolic Faith Church in the Bronx, New York.

Faith motivates us to seek God, but we have to let our faith carry us into the victory. We need to let faith work.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped...

As a person who likes to experience new things, I appreciate that in the Gospel we can always find new depths, new heights, and new lessons with the Lord. It is never boring at all. In fact, it can be difficult to keep up! The life of a Christian is...

In our world today, we see nation after nation becoming “dechristianized”—removing all Christian influences or characteristics. Many believers around the globe live in fear for their lives due to persecution. Here in the United States, the spiritual framework that has been a hallmark since our country’s founding erodes with every...

When you take a couple of dollars from your wallet to pay for a random purchase, do you think about financial stewardship? Does it cross your mind when you pay for groceries? Not likely. But what about when you fill out an application for a student loan or a mortgage?...

Prayer is the most intimate form of communication between God and His creation, because it is the heart of man communicating with the heart of God. We need prayer, and not just prayer, but prevailing prayer. It is our lifeline to God.   

Genesis 32 gives an example of prevailing prayer....

The word conscience refers to moral awareness—it is the aspect of our intellect that reasons, makes decisions, and distinguishes right from wrong. A healthy conscience is a good thing. It directs us to the kind of walk that God wants us to have. We want to be attentive to God who...

Reading the Bible is different from studying the Bible. When we read the Bible, we go through a portion of text at a natural pace. When we study, we slow down and ponder. We ask questions and search out meanings. We consider the author, context, and background. We are on a quest for...

After receiving salvation, it is important to press on, seeking the deeper things of God. This allows one to become grounded in the Gospel and stay in the faith. In the Book of Acts, we read of new converts who were admonished in this way. The account demonstrates the importance...

All born-again believers have experienced revival. The day God forgave our sins, He brought our souls from a state of spiritual death to spiritual life, and that is what revival means—to bring to life. In His very nature, God is a reviver. He alone has the power to bring the...

The Bible opens with four great events: Creation, the fall of man in the Garden, the flood of Noah’s day, and the scattering of nations after the tower of Babel. Approximately one thousand years after the days of Noah, a transition occurs in the Book of Genesis, beginning with chapter...

In the opening comments of Paul’s epistle to the Galatians, the Apostle shared part of his testimony in order to establish that his message and authority were from God. Referencing his manner of living prior to his conversion, he acknowledged that his persecution of the Church had been “beyond measure.”...

Do you know Jesus? If you answered yes, do you really know Him or do you just know about Him? There is a great difference between actually knowing a person and just knowing about them. For example, if I asked the congregation at camp meeting, “Do you know my wife?”...

In the dictionary, fellowship is defined as “friendly association, friendly relationships, comradeships.” In the New Testament, the word fellowship is a translation of the Greek word koinonia, meaning “having in common, sharing together, participation, partnership.” Fellowship is about experiencing some degree of communion with others, and it can occur in...