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...

Commemorations are an important part of our lives. We all have dates on our personal calendars when we celebrate milestone events—birthdays, anniversaries, and the like. As citizens of the United States, we also observe national days of remembrance such as Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, and Independence Day.

For the followers of...

Young people in school districts around the United States typically begin a new school year about the first week of September. While this may be exciting for some, others may find that starting a different program in an unfamiliar setting is challenging or even overwhelming! The Word of God provides...

The Book of Lamentations was written by the prophet Jeremiah in about 586 B.C. following an eighteen-month siege of Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. During the siege, both the city and Solomon’s Temple were destroyed. God had warned the Israelites in advance through prophets like Jeremiah that this would...

All of us are on a journey through life—a journey that Hebrews 12:1 refers to as “the race that is set before us.” With the start of a new calendar year, we are in effect looking ahead to a new year in this race. We cannot tell where our journey...

Every Fourth of July, I am reminded of the soldiers who fought and died for the freedoms we have and enjoy. And now as world threats turn more dangerous and terrorism is on the rise, I think about the soldiers who remain alert and prepared at all times to protect...

When I was born, my mother was extremely sick. In fact, after her third child was born, the doctors told her, “Don’t ever get pregnant again; if you do, we won’t have anything to do with you.” But lo and behold, I came along as child number four. My mom...

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us...

An excerpt from the recently updated booklet A Glimpse into the Future.

We live in exciting times where at any moment, Jesus could return to catch away His Bride—those who have repented of their sins and committed their lives to God—in the Rapture of the Church. We are...

“Importunity” is a unique word in Scripture. In Luke 11:8 we read, “I say unto you, though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.” That is the only occurrence...

About a year and a half ago, we held the funeral for my wife’s father, a man our children and grandchildren knew as Grandpa Brown. Our grandson Moses, who was not yet three at the time, had captured the idea that his great-grandfather had gone to Heaven. When it came...

Ezekiel 37:1-14:

 

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, 2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in...

Many of us have been watching with great interest as a new Apostolic Faith World Headquarters office building has been under construction. Several years ago, we hired an architect to begin designing that building. His design was based on a description of our staff needs and city building code requirements,...

All of us embrace a framework of beliefs—a set of principles or convictions by which we order our lives and make our choices. We refer to the beliefs held and taught by an individual, church, political party, or other group as their “doctrine.” Even those who claim they have no...

Belief in the Divine Trinity is at the core of the Christian faith. The Holy Trinity consists of three Persons in one who are equally and eternally the one true God: God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As separate and distinct Persons, each possesses recognizable...

Have you ever wondered why, given God’s great love for us, He doesn’t immediately give us every single thing we ask for? Or perhaps you are at the opposite end of the spectrum, wondering if we matter at all to Him.

When we think about God’s view of us, some of...

The wondrous works of God are all around us. From the beauty of a sunrise to the starry splendor of the night sky, and from the miracle of new life to the solemnity of death, we see and feel the awesomeness of God’s work everywhere. Yet, many people live in...

The Bible is one unit, and every word is inspired by God. In it are sixty-six books—thirty-nine in the Old Testament and twenty-seven in the New Testament—1,189 chapters and 31,173 verses. The Bible was written over approximately fifteen hundred years by forty different authors living on three different continents. Some...

1 Corinthians 13

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that...

Adapted from the Daybreak and Discovery curriculum series.

Background: The Book of Ruth provides a historical picture of the plan of redemption. The events in the book transpired between 1375 and 1050 B.C., and the placement of the book in the Bible causes it to bridge the time between the period...

Forgiveness is a topic that is probably thought about and discussed much more often than it is applied. This is because forgiving others can be a challenge. Like dieting and exercising, people know the benefits of forgiving, so they talk about it, but when there comes an opportunity to put...

The word heritage refers to something that comes or belongs to an individual by reason of birth or that is received as an inheritance. In some cases, a grandparent may give away a treasured possession, saying, “I want you to have this before I’m gone.” At other times, the donor...

In the first chapter of John’s Gospel, the opening verses are a beautiful depiction of Jesus and how His life is the Light of men. In John 1:5 we read about Jesus as the Light: “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” This statement is...