Worldview

Marriage is God’s first human institution. Before He instituted the state or the church, God first made the family. When the Creator took the rib of Adam and fashioned Eve as a “help meet” for Adam, He said, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). It would be wise for us to recognize God’s purposes and His right to determine how marriage should function.

The sixth commandment—“Thou shalt not kill”—embraces much more than the prohibition of murder. On the positive side, God’s Law calls for the upholding of life; the deliverance of the oppressed; the kind treatment of strangers, orphans, and widows; and the defense of the innocent. These positive truths are amplified throughout the law of Moses and the prophets.

Death is a tragic consequence of the fall of man. When Adam and Eve were created in the image of God, they were placed in the Garden of Eden and told that if they disobeyed God’s command, they would “surely die” (Genesis 2:17). Little did they realize how ugly death would be! Of the first two sons born to Adam and Eve, the first killed the second. It is a sad testimony of consequence to humanity that the first man ever born on earth was a murderer!

Obedience from the heart requires a great deal of humility. Sometimes we must set aside our own opinions and personal preferences in order to honor our parents. But isn’t this the key to every successful relationship? Doesn’t a husband have to lay aside personal preferences to honor his wife? Doesn’t a wife often make sacrifices for her husband? Doesn’t a good parent set aside pleasures and hobbies to spend time with his children? Learning to honor our parents will yield blessings in every relationship. More importantly, our obedience in this matter of the fifth commandment is “well pleasing unto the Lord.”

The second commandment calls our attention from the graven images and man-made gods of earth to the invisible Creator in Heaven. In a similar manner, Paul’s exhortation urges us to look away from the things of earth that distract us and to look upward to the throne of God, where Christ is seated. Rather than looking at what we see with our physical eyes, the Lord is calling us to look with eyes of faith and see that the Lord Jesus Christ is central to all of life.

When we are preoccupied with these misplaced priorities, we become anxious about the things of this world. Jesus pointed His disciples to consider the grass of the field and to observe the birds of the air. On the basis of this confident trust in the caring, sufficient provision of our Father, Jesus said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Because the centurion was under the authority of the emperor, he had the emperor’s authority over those under him. The centurion realized that God’s Kingdom was also structured with a chain of command—the man realized that because Jesus was under God’s authority, He had God’s authority over the spiritual realm.

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 […]

Wisdom is seeing the hand of God in every experience of life. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5).

Discernment is the ability to distinguish between good and evil, in order to make wise decisions. When God told Solomon to ask for anything he wanted, Solomon asked for discernment.

Truthfulness is communicating by life and word that which is genuine and accurate. There is power in truth, because it is the very essence of God and the means by which He carries out His work in the world.

Birthmarks, disabilities, perceived blemishes, “defects,” or abnormalities cause us to ask searching questions. Why would a loving, all-powerful Creator God allow imperfections to exist?

What is a Christian to do when faced with disappointment, disaster, and despair? Scripture teaches us that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Yet when we encounter difficulties, we often wonder, Why?

As a result of accepting and believing Satan’s lies, you may have yielded areas of your soul to his dominating influence. These areas need to be reclaimed. When old thoughts of rejection return, they must be taken captive to the obedience of Christ.

Mockery of traits over which you have no control is an outward attack that brings inward humbling. At the very moment when you embrace humility, God provides the most important ingredient of grace to achieve any lasting success or fruitfulness in the Christian life.

Your attitude about yourself has a profound influence on your attitudes about God, your family, your friends, and your future. Self-acceptance brings freedom from comparison with others as you discover the goodness of God and His purposes in your design.