Person

If Joseph asked you why God allowed him to be sold into slavery by his own brothers; to be torn from his family and home; to be falsely accused by the wife of his Egyptian master, to whom he had been loyal and devoted; and to be unjustly imprisoned and ignored, how might you answer?

700 years after this commandment was given, the children of Israel had drifted into apostasy and idolatry. To a wayward nation stumbling toward darkness and destruction, the prophet Isaiah gave an invitation of light and hope: “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:22).

In order to fulfill the direction of God the Father, Jesus yielded His right to wealth, to a good reputation, to be served, to enjoy physical comforts, and to make His own decisions. As we surrender ourselves to the Father, He will form these characteristics of His Son in us as well.

That time had come. The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius was on the throne. Throughout the Empire, Christianity was spreading at an astonishing rate. In spite of fire, sword, and beastly fury, Roman officers and even high government officials were being converted from paganism to serve the true and living God of Heaven.

The people were assembled to hear directly from the mouth of Jehovah. For three days they had prepared themselves for this moment.

Faith is based on the promises of God, which are so certain that waiting for them is not discouraging, and acting upon them is natural. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

There are times in life that we are called upon to lay aside our own natural reasoning and to act instead upon the command of the Lord. Such a time came for a common laborer in an obscure rural village two thousand years ago.

We invite you to take some time today to read through the list below of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3–17) and their corresponding New Testament applications.

Why a series on “matters of life and death” for our world today? Moses commanded the people of Israel to “choose life.” What did he mean by that admonition? Ever since the days of Creation, men and women have been presented with a choice between life and death.

Seven-year-old William Bradford stood over the grave of his mother in the little village of Austerfield in the hills of Yorkshire, England. Having previously lost his father when he was a baby, young William was now alone in the world. Few would have supposed that this orphaned boy would amount to anything.

Consider the following truths about God’s design in our lives. Memorizing and meditating on these Scriptures will build a foundation of truth in your heart and mind so that you can combat the temptations of inferiority and discouragement.

Can you play in a championship football game just because you are a good football player? What if you’ve practiced every day and are the best player you know? It seems like a silly question—there are obviously certain criteria that must be met, the first of which is actually being a member of the team! Skill, or your own estimation of yourself, doesn’t automatically get you on the team or in the “big game.” Many people have a similar approach in regard to their eternal destiny. When you come to the end of your life, will “being good” (or even being better than everyone else you know) be enough to enter God’s Heaven? It doesn’t need to be guesswork. We know the exact criteria required to spend eternity in Heaven as part of God’s team. The Bible shows us the way!

While we are all to be under the authorities which God has ordained for the purpose of our protection and guidance, we will also likely, at some point, be the one in authority over others. What does God expect of those in leadership roles?

We all have dreams of what our ideal family life would be. Sometimes these are prompted by “model” families that we have seen, or perhaps they are the dreams we had of what our own family should be like.

The evening flicker of a nearby street lamp filtered through white curtains into a Victorian sitting room. It had been a busy, full day, and the industrious lady was still hard at work. “Fanny! Sit back and rest!” Fanny Crosby smiled as she thought how many times people had told her to do that. Despite being blind since infancy, she was known to be a hard worker and remained busy at whatever her hands found to do. One work that God had gifted Fanny Crosby with was writing poetry. Often, poems formed themselves quickly in her mind. Other times it was not easy. Fanny Crosby noted, “There are some days, or at least hours, when I could not compose a hymn if all the world were laid at my feet as a promised recompense.” Yet, even in those uninspiring times, she was diligent to accomplish her tasks. Fanny Crosby wrote hymns for a music publishing house, and they counted on her to supply poems, whether she felt like writing or not. She asked the Lord for inspiration. Eventually, the words would come. Fanny Crosby not only wrote what was asked of her, but she also wrote additional options of poems […]

The moon shone through the curtains in the New York home. The moonlight revealed the middle-aged lady’s face, grimacing from pain. Lydia Baxter was an invalid and had spent most of her married life confined to her bed. Carefully she moved her stiff muscles into a different position. Then, closing her eyes again, she whispered a name . . . . Many Christian workers gathered at the Baxter home because of the beloved woman’s cheerful personality. Despite her physical incapacity, Mrs. Baxter’s spirit was in fellowship with the Lord, and joy filled her heart. Preachers, evangelists, and Christian workers sought her out for comfort and encouragement. She would share with those who asked how she could be so joyful in the midst of physical pain—the secret was in the name she often whispered: I have a very special armor. I have the name ofJesus. When the tempter tries to make me blueor despondent, I mention the name of Jesus, andhe can’t get through to me anymore. Mrs. Baxter was an avid student of the Bible and loved to discuss the meanings of Biblical names. Bible names such as Sarah (“princess”), Samuel (“asked of God”), and Isaac (“laughter”) are well-known examples. […]

White waves churned from under the large boat as it sailed across the large lake in Sweden, on its way to the city of Gothenburg. Standing at the rail of the ship, Pastor Jonas Sandell and his daughter gazed at the view. They had always shared a close, loving relationship. As a child, his daughter Lina had been sickly and often stayed in her father’s study while all the other children played outside. Not only did those hours together build a special bond between them, but through her father’s tender, loving example, she learned to know the sweet compassion and care of her Heavenly Father. As she grew older, she became her father’s secretary, and for that reason she was accompanying him on this peaceful boat trip. In a single moment, however, her world changed. With a sudden jolt, the boat lurched. In horror, the young woman saw her beloved father abruptly lose his balance, totter, and fall overboard! The sailors did all they could, but they were too late. By the time they pulled Pastor Sandell’s body out of the water, he had drowned.  What a sudden, terrible grief—especially for someone as close to her father as Miss Sandell […]

The poor, ill woman had seen many afflictions. The pastor, Elisha Hoffman, was known for his compassion for the destitute and those literally from the poorer side of town. As he visited this suffering lady, she wearily unburdened her heart to him. She looked to him in pain and discouragement and begged of him, “What shall I do? What shall I do?” How well the pastor understood her pain and sorrows! His own life had been touched with deep sorrow when his young wife had died several years earlier. With tenderness and heartfelt empathy, he prayed with the suffering woman. He shared specific Scriptures to comfort her. Then he added, “Youcannot do better than to take all of your sorrows to Jesus. You must tell Jesus!” Her eyes lit up as she exclaimed, “Yes! I must tell Jesus!” Pastor Hoffman later recorded: “As I left her home I had a vision of that joy-illuminated face . . . and I heard all along my pathway the echo, ‘I must tell Jesus. . . I must tell Jesus.’” Once home, the pastor wrote down those words and the lines they inspired. From burdens to troubles to temptations, over and over the […]

A crowded testimony meeting was part of the revival held by Dwight L. Moody in Brockton, Massachusetts. Suddenly, a young man stood up. Earnestly he confessed, “I am not quite sure, but I am going to trust, and I am going to obey!” The simple words of faith struck the soul of songleader Pastor Daniel Towner. Quickly he jotted down the sentence. Afterward, Pastor Towner wrote a letter to his friend, Pastor John H. Sammis, giving a quick report of the young man’s testimony and the stirring words he had said. As soon as Pastor Sammis read his friend’s letter, he realized the testimony was perfect for a hymn. First came the refrain: Trust and obey for there’s no other wayTo be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. Following the refrain, the verses quickly came. Pastor Sammis’s hymn expounded on trust and obedience: Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;What He says we will do, where He sends we will goNever fear, only trust and obey. Completed, Pastor Sammis mailed the song to Pastor Towner. Pastor Towner soon composed the melody, and “Trust and Obey” became a hymn […]

More than 100 years ago, northern India was a very superstitious region. Following a great revival in Wales, Welsh missionaries journeyed to the Assam area in northeast India to bring the Gospel to tribes of idol-worshipping headhunters. In one village, one of those fierce headhunters listened to a missionary, and his heart grasped the Good News of Christ. Not only did he believe, but his wife and two sons also became Christians. As the redeemed man eagerly shared his newfound faith with other villagers, they, too, became believers!  The changes among his people infuriated the village chief. Summoning all the villagers, the chief angrily addressed the first convert among the tribe: “Renounce your faith, or be killed!” Moved by the Holy Spirit, the man replied: “I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back.” The incensed chief next ordered his archers to kill the man’s young sons. Then he harshly demanded, “Will you deny your faith? You have lost both your children. You will lose your wife, too.” The man solemnly spoke: “Though no one joins me, still I will follow.No turning back.” Furious, the chief then ordered the man’s wife be killed. Within minutes, she joined her two sons […]