The one concept unique to early Christianity was “love of the brethren.” Once the early Christians had received Christ and the truth, the Apostle Peter urged them to love one another. Observers in Christianity’s early days were amazed by this outstanding fact more than any other. Yet there were many who heard this truth, but never let it purify them—because they refused…
Tag: love
Love That Never Fails
What is the secret of living the Christian life? It is to love God. And how can we know the love of God? Through His Word. We love God in return for His love for us. Those who truly love God want to serve Him, please Him, and live their life in a way that…
Character Pleasing to God
What we say and what we actually do can be miles apart. But God doesn’t judge us by these as much as He judges us by our character. The one thing He really wants to see is godly character being built up in us. This means the way we behave according to our code of…
Ritual or Relationship?
Do you ever felt like you are making great efforts to do all of the right things (or at least what you were told were the right things) to please God, yet He still seems distant or unreachable to you? Do you feel like a sense of guilt comes over you if you don’t pray…
Does God Care?
Are you going through a situation where you feel like God doesn’t care about you? Does it seem like He doesn’t see what you are going through? Do you feel like you have to worry and fret over your situation, since God apparently is not interested in helping you with it? Maybe you think He…
The Dark Manger
I walked down a street one evening recently where many homes were decorated for Christmas. Some had elaborate displays with a lot of lights; others displayed a simple arrangement and very few lights, or anything else that would really grab your attention. What caught my eye among all of these displays was a simple little…
No Room for Gray
An answer to a question on a forum post I read recently stated that there is black, and there is white, with 256 shades of gray in between. The thought of gray areas between black and white led me consider how we often think of God and the Devil. In our sphere of understanding, we…
On the Ledge
I can still remember a particularly beautiful Spring day when I was eight years old. The flowers had just begun to bloom around Sugarloaf Mountain, not far from Frederick, Maryland, near the Virginia state line. I remember sitting there high up on a mountain ledge. It reminded me of granite shepherds silently watching over the…