Values

Manassah And Amon’s Reign

The Southern Kingdom was to be ruled by six kings (five bad and one good) before the end would come. Manasseh’s reign began when, as a youngster of twelve, he was placed on the throne as a co-ruler with his father Hezekiah. His reign lasted for 55 years which was the longest rei …

Jesus Selects the Twelve Apostles

The selection of the twelve Apostles was made after Jesus spent a night in prayer (v. 12). Jesus had a large number of disciples and from those He picked 12 who were to be Apostles (vv. 13-16). A disciple is a learner or an apprentice, while an apostle is a chosen messenger sent …

Religion Will Not Take You to Heaven

Few people were more religious than young Paul of Tarsus. He knew all about religious orthodoxy and how it can make a sincere and zealous person the very enemy of Christ. Orthodoxy in religion requires both access to the truth and accountability to the truth. Paul was speaking to Jews who …

What the Kingdom of Heaven is Like

Jesus’s fifth and sixth parables are linked (vv. 44-46). In the fifth parable the kingdom of heaven is compared to a treasure hidden in a field & in the sixth parable it is compared to a pearl of great value. In both parables the one who found the treasure and the pearl went and sold all that they …

The Value of True Religion to a Nation

1. Babylonian Exiles Who Returned to Jerusalem (vv. 1-9). The people of Judah were taken to Babylon as prisoners because they sinned against God. When they returned there were 690 people from the Judah tribe who settled in Jerusalem …

Wisdom Makes Sense

This passage reveals a deeper investigation into the relative values of wisdom and folly. Solomon has found out from experience that wisdom and pleasure does not have the answer. Now he reasons that maybe if I just put my nose to the grindstone and really stay on the job I …