By Dr. James A. Scudder

An unknown author compared Christians without goals to Alice in the fairy tale Alice in Wonderland. In a conversation between her and the Cheshire Cat, Alice asked, "Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"

"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the cat.

"I don't much care where," said Alice.

"Then it doesn't matter which way you go."read more »

Q.— What does Scripture mean by the phrase, “Faith, if it hath not works, is dead?” Are we not saved by faith alone?

A.—The phrase, Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone, is found in James 2:17. When we become confused on a particular portion of Scripture, the best course of action is to look at the verses before and after the one in question. By taking the verse in context, we can cast light on the topic we are confused about. Let’s look at the surrounding verses:read more »

By Pastor Robert Vanden Bosch

It seems like 2009 just started — but now 2010 is here. Where has the time gone? When I was a child, it seemed like time just dragged. It would be forever until I was sixteen years old and could drive a car. Since then, life has flown by. It is still flying by. "How much time do I have left?" That is a valid question for each one of us.

Most of us will see 2011. Some of us will not. Time is of the essence, for life is made up of time. That is why the Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians:read more »

Q.— Since I cannot lose my salvation after I have trusted Christ, will I receive a penalty if I continually sin?

A.— Yes, God’s Word tells us the penalty for a believer’s sin is the chastening of the Lord. 

 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? (Hebrews 12:6, 7)read more »

By Pastor Jim Scudder, Jr.

On December 26th, 2005, a tsunami of epic proportions slammed into many countries along the Indian Ocean, killing an estimated 200,000 people. It left about 5,000,000 people homeless.

Yet even amidst such incredible tragedies, there are remarkable stories of people who overcame the odds and survived. Here are just a few:read more »

Q.— What does the Calvinistic acronym TULIP stand for? What does God’s Word have to say about it?

A.— The doctrine of Calvinism as illustrated by the TULIP:

read more »

By Dr. James A. Scudder

At more than 230 years old and 120 feet long, the Great Vine is the oldest and largest known vine in the world. Found in Hampton Court Palace in London, England, this extraordinary vine is also the oldest plant in the palace gardens.

First planted in a glasshouse built to house Queen Mary's collection of exotic tropical plants, the vine’s roots were planted outside and its branches were trained inside the glasshouse, which measured 60 by 13 feet. read more »

Q.— What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? How can I tell if I am walking in the Spirit?

A.— First, let’s define walking in the Spirit: It is allowing your new nature (the Holy Spirit received at salvation) to control your actions rather than allowing your old sin nature (the flesh) to rule your life.
 
All believers have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them. However, all do not walk in the Spirit. To determine if you are allowing the Spirit to control your actions, give yourself a spiritual test: read more »

By Dr. James A. Scudder

Would you ever leave unopened gifts beneath the tree after the holidays are over? Imagine for a moment that it is Christmas morning. As you awake, you see frost on your window pane and smell the tempting aroma of pancakes. You scurry down the stairs, and find ten gifts nestled under the Christmas tree. You begin opening them one by one, but after opening the sixth gift, you stop. The remaining four gifts sit untouched. As the weeks go by, the gifts are still unopened. The Christmas decorations are put away and the tree is taken down. Yet the four unopened presents remain. 
 read more »