Treasure Chest

In the quest to get their Christian life to function sucessfully, many despair of ever finding an effective answer. Counselors listen to “presenting problems” such as depression, anxiety, and moral failures. Interpersonal conflicts continue even after self-help solutions have been attempted. It seems ironic that one of the keys to discovering deliverance from such symptoms…

“In Christ” Testimony of Dan Barry, Dallas Texas Fay, my wife, and I became Christians in 1980 at a point of crisis in our marriage of 5 years. As is common with new Christians, we were very enthusiastic after being saved. I had a strong desire to do all I could for Jesus. We spoke…

The Testimony of Christy “Finally, I Met Jesus!” “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.” (Psalm 130:1,2). I was raised as a pastor’s daughter, so I was constantly at church and in God’s Word. My parents did…

How should theology relate to life? The epistles of Paul address this question by their very structure. Notice this pattern: Romans 1-11 are primarily doctrinal; chapters 12-16 are practical. Ephesians 1-3 are doctrinal; chapters 4-6 are practical. Colossians 1-2 are doctrinal; chapters 3-4 are practical. Why did the Holy Spirit inspire this pattern? The key…

Spiritual Justification: A New Spiritual Nature I part one we examined legal justification: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1) As amazing as legal justification is, however, there is still more. Being placed into God’s family at conversion is so miraculous, that no single…

Millions of people were introduced to the biblical account of Queen Esther in the 2006 movie, One Night with the King. [1] In this article, we will survey the book of Esther, and then consider symbolism that illustrates how the believer can experience victorious life in Christ. Summary of the Book of Esther The book…

Since we are beginning a new year, you may have made a “new year’s resolution” to read through the Scriptures this year. That’s a good goal, yet it’s not uncommon to start reading in Genesis, but lose momentum in… Leviticus. Someone wrote to me: “This week, you talked about being hungry for the Word… However,…

As we prepare for a new year, the mystery of time–past, present, and future–presents itself with pomp and circumstance. While most of the activities around New Years’ Day celebrate the new vista ahead, regrettable episodes of the past often cast their shadow on our mind and conscience. Let’s consider how to break free from negative…

When my father was doing some work for a business in Atlanta, Georgia, he was invited to join the employees in some Christmas festivities. They were singing “Happy Birthday” so he assumed it was for Christmas, however he discovered that a lady there was born on December 25th. Dad was surprised to learn other distinctives…

How can we be reconciled to God? Pride, independence, unbelief, and self-will — the “seeds of forbidden fruit” — find their counterpart in the conditions for salvation. 1. From pride to humility God designed the gospel to require humility on the part of the sinner. To the natural mind, the idea of redemption through the…