Zacchaeus was a wealthy Jew who had made his money by working as a tax collector for the hated Romans. For that, and because he and other tax collectors exacted more tax than was really due, Zacchaeus was hated and called a “sinner.” Zacchaeus lived in Jericho, which sat on a trade route with much … Continue reading –>
We don’t know much about the rich young ruler other than that he was young, a ruler, and rich. And he had an interest in spiritual things, too. He was so energetic that he came running to Jesus (Mark 10:17). He was excited to learn about eternal life. This story is so important that it is … Continue reading –>
In their writings, the Bible’s authors included many of God’s provisions for the poor, the strangers, the widows, and the fatherless. We have records of this all the way back to Mount Sinai. “Six years you shall sow your land and gather in its produce, but the seventh year you shall let it rest and … Continue reading –>
Early in Jesus’ public ministry, He traveled to Nazareth, in the region of Galilee. This was His hometown, and the local people already had heard of His work and miracles. As His custom was, Jesus attended Sabbath services in the synagogue. Though Jesus was not the officiating rabbi, the attendant handed Him the Isaiah scroll … Continue reading –>
Sabbath Afternoon Read for This Week’s Study: Luke 4:16-19; Isaiah 62:1-2; Deuteronomy 15:11; Matthew 19:16-22; Luke 19:1-10; Job 29:12-16. Memory Text: “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’ ” (Matthew 25:34, NKJV). The Bible speaks often of the strangers … Continue reading –>
Miracle of a Mission School By Chifundo Kanjo Two very different kinds of mission schools shaped John Phiri’s life. As a youth, John was sent from home in Malawi to study the family’s non-Christian religion on the Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar. John spent three years immersed in the religion’s main book and learning how … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: God honored His part of the covenant by blessing Abraham. And Abraham honored God by not storing up treasures on this earth. “The heritage that God has promised to His people is not in this world. Abraham had no possession in the earth, ‘no, not so much as to set his foot on.’ Acts … Continue reading –>
The character of Moses dominated the early years of sacred history. He was kept alive in the providence of God, who worked through an enterprising mother and a caring sister. When Pharaoh’s daughter found baby Moses in the ark of bulrushes, she asked his Hebrew mother to care for him and paid her to do … Continue reading –>
As a young man who loved and feared God, Jacob nevertheless stooped to conspire with his mother, Rebekah, to deceive his father and gain his blessing. As a consequence, he started his adult life on the wrong path, having to flee or, perhaps, face an early death. Rebekah told Jacob to “flee thou to Laban … ; … Continue reading –>
When Abram left his homeland in response to God’s call, his nephew Lot chose to go with him on his pilgrimage. Genesis 13:1-18 records that God blessed Abram to the point that he “was very rich in cattle [the primary measure of wealth in that culture], in silver, and in gold” (Genesis 13:2). Lot also “had … Continue reading –>
