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...

The word sin is a religious term that indicates both willful, defiant acts that transgress divine law, and the underlying condition of opposition to divine law from which those sinful acts originate. Sin separates man from God, and is the root of all resistance to and conflict with Him.

Sin is...

In Matthew 4:19, we read Jesus’ words to fishermen by the Sea of Galilee, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” That invitation extends to us as well, because in the Great Commission, Christ charged His followers to go into all the world and “preach the gospel...

On February 12, 2017, thousands of people forsook their homes and belongings, and fled for higher ground when an emergency evacuation was ordered for people living near America’s highest dam, located in Oroville, California. An article published a few days later in the Sacramento Bee related, “North Sacramento Valley residents...

The term “open letter” is used to describe a message that is addressed to a certain individual or group, but is intended to be read by a larger audience. Someone might write an open letter to a politician or celebrity and, rather than delivering the message directly to the recipient,...

As a physician and orthopedic surgeon who specialized in the treatment of people with leprosy (Hansen’s disease), Dr. Paul Brand became convinced of the value of pain through a frightening personal experience.

While suffering is something we would prefer to avoid in the natural, we need to understand that pain...

The Lord has given each of us a measure of faith. Sometimes we feel like we need more faith, but maybe we could use what we have better. When we see athletes performing at their peak in a professional game or the Olympics, we are inspired. Isn’t that how we...