Category Archives: Hot Topics

The Despair of Atheism and the Hope of Christianity

Posted on January 15, 2022 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The atheist’s worldview denies the existence of God and believes the universe and earth happened by a chance explosion billions of years ago. Rather than intelligent design, he believes in unintelligent chaos, that the earth, with all its complexity of life, is merely the product of accidental evolutionary processes over millions of years. His worldview believes everything is merely the product of matter, motion, time and chance; that we are the accidental collection of molecules; that we are nothing more than evolving bags of protoplasm who happen to be able to think, feel, and act. The conclusion is that we came from nothing significant, that we are nothing significant, and we go to nothing significant. Ultimately, there’s no reason for us to exist, and no given purpose to assign meaning to our lives. We are a zero. Some have thought through the logical implications of their atheism and understand this well. Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics, Biblical Worldview, Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Inspirational Writings, Worldview | Tagged Aldous Huxley and LSD, atheism argues for no absolutes, Atheism argues for no truth, Atheism leads to despair, Atheism offers no hope for humanity, Atheistic worldview, Biblical worldview, Burning Man, Christian apologetics, Christian worldview, Darwin and racism, Evolution and racism, Evolution could also logically lead to racism, Evolution could lead to racism, faith alone, faith in Jesus, Francis Schaeffer on truth and absolutes, General revelation about God, God's common grace to everyone, God's sovereignty, Hope in the Bible, Hope in the Christian gospel, John Calvin and the Meaning of Sensus Divinitatis, John Sartre, John Updike vision of death, Mark Twain view on life and death, materialistic communism, Nazis who murdered millions of Jews, Negative volition, Positive volition, Presuppositional apologetics, Satan's world system, saved by grace through faith, Sensus Divinitatis, Special revelation in the Bible, Supressing God's truth in unrighteousness, The Christian argument against atheism, The Despair of Atheism, The Despair of Atheism and the Hope of Christianity, The Gospel message, The Hope of Christianity, the Meaning of Sensus Divinitatis, Theism vs atheism, Unyielding despair by Bertrand Russell, Worldview | Leave a comment

A Look at Grace

Posted on January 9, 2022 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Grace is undeserved favor. It is the love, mercy, or kindness that one person freely confers upon another who deserves the opposite (Matt 5:44-45; Rom 11:6; Eph 1:6; 2:1-9; 2 Tim 1:9; Tit 3:5-7). The Bible reveals God is gracious, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex 34:6), and, “You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth” (Psa 86:15). God the Father is described as “the God of all grace” (1 Pet 5:10), who sits upon a “throne of grace” (Heb 4:16), who “gives grace to the afflicted” (Prov 3:34), and provides salvation “by grace” through faith in Jesus (Eph 2:8-9; cf. Acts 15:11; Rom 3:24). Jesus is said to be “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14), and the Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of grace” (Heb 10:29). Continue reading →

Posted in Christian service, Christian Theology, Counseling, God's Grace, Hot Topics, Inspirational Writings, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Salvation, Spirituality | Tagged A look at God's grace, A look at Grace, Amazing grace, common grace, do good works save?, Expressions of God's grace, faith alone, God is gracious, God saves by grace, God's grace, God's riches at Christ's expense, Grace, Grace is received by faith, Grace is underserved favor, Grace is undeserved, Grace is unmerited favor, Grace leads to righteous living, grace that saves, grace to save, living by grace, loving our enemies, saved by God's grace, saved by grace, saved by grace through faith, showing grace to others, special grace, the God of all grace, the meaning of grace, Underserved favor, We are not saved by works, what is God's grace?, what is grace?, Why believers who no grace, works do not save | 1 Comment

The Lesson in the Storm

Posted on December 31, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

During His time of ministry on earth, Jesus was constantly teaching His disciples and developing their walk with Him. This development required testing. Some of the situations the disciples faced were turbulent, which exposed their weaknesses and provided teachable moments. Because of positive volition, Jesus’ disciples would, over time, learn His lessons and advance to spiritual maturity. Continue reading →

Posted in Counseling, Hot Topics, Inspirational Writings, Leadership, Living by Faith, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged A fortress in the soul, Christian suffering, Does God test our faith?, faith in Jesus, God uses trials to strengthen our faith, God's sovereignty, Growing our faith, How does God grow our faith, Jesus calmed the sea, Jesus calmed the storm, Living by faith, Matthew 8:23-27, Perception and reality, suffering, The Lesson in the Storm, The storm on the sea, The storms of life, the suffering of the righteous, The tests of life, What does it mean to have little faith, When God gives us a test, When life sends a crisis, When we face a crisis, why do the righteous suffer | Leave a comment

The High Calling of God’s Servant

Posted on December 29, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

“The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition” (2 Tim 2:24-25a). The Christian who properly represents the Lord Jesus Christ will possess certain qualities that are useful to the Lord, and these are developed over time. As Christians, we are to “speak the truth in love” (Eph 4:15), “with grace” (Col 4:6), and “with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet 3:15-16). There’s no place for hostility in the Christian life, for “the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” (Jam 1:20). This is how the Lord Jesus conducted Himself, for “while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Pet 2:23). Paul handled himself this way too, saying, “When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we respond graciously” (1 Cor 4:12-13 CSB). The bar of Christian behavior is set very high, as it should be. Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Worldview, Christian service, Christian Theology, Counseling, Hot Topics, Inspirational Writings, Leadership, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Spirituality, Suffering & Persecution, Worldview | Tagged able to teach, Christian suffering, Christians are to be able to teach, Christians are to be gentle, Christians are to be kind, Christians are to be patient when wronged, Christians must not argue, faith alone, Hos did Jesus deal with opposition, How Christians should behave, How did Jesus deal with attacks, How God's children should behave, How should Christians behave when faced with opposition, How should Christians respond when attacked, Kind to all, patient when wronged, Satan's world system, saved by grace through faith, Should Christians fight back?, suffering, The calling of the Christian, The High Calling of God’s Servant, The high calling of the Christian, The Lord's bond-servant, The Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome, the Lord's servnat, The right Christian attitude, the suffering of the righteous, why do the righteous suffer | 2 Comments

Great and Least in the Kingdom of Heaven – A Life of Discipleship

Posted on December 24, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

While discussing eternal rewards in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught there would be varying degrees of placement in the kingdom of heaven. In Matthew 5:19, Jesus said, “whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” This gradation of status in heaven is taught elsewhere by Jesus (Matt 11:11; 18:1-4; 20:20-28). Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Hot Topics, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Salvation | Tagged Are some Christians given more rewards than others, Are we saved by good works?, do good works save?, faith alone, good works do not save, great in heaven, great in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus taught there would be varying degrees of placement in the kingdom of heaven, least in heaven, Least in the kingdom of heaven, Matthew 5:19, saved by grace through faith, what does the bible say about future rewards, works do not save | Leave a comment

Why God Judges Nations

Posted on October 29, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

When individuals, groups, cities and nations turn away from God, He will judge them according to His righteous character and moral laws. The Bible reveals “God is the King of all the earth…He reigns over the nations; He sits on His holy throne” (Psa 47:7-8). It is God “who changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings” (Dan 2:21), and “the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men” (Dan 4:17). The Bible reveals “The LORD is King forever and ever” (Psa 10:16a), and the “LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all” (Psa 103:19), and He “works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph 1:11b). God is supreme over all His creation, for “Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps” (Psa 135:6), and “He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” (Dan 4:35). As sovereign God, He judges His world in righteousness. Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Biblical Worldview, God, Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Israel, Leadership, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Suffering & Persecution, Worldview | Tagged Can America turn back to righteousness?, Christianity in America, Christians in America, Forces of darkness at work in America, God will judge America, Is God's judgment upon America?, Is Satan destroying America?, the moral decline of America, The spiritual decline of America, When God judges a city, When God judges a group, When God judges a nation, When God judges a person, When God judges nations, Why does God judge a nation?, why God judges a nation, Will God judge America? | Leave a comment

A Divided World Until Christ Returns

Posted on September 18, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

For the present time, Satan is the ruler of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 2:2; 1 John 5:19), and we are all born under “the dominion of Satan” (Act 26:18), into his “domain of darkness” (Col 1:13). Our spiritual state changes at the time we turn to Christ and trust Him as Savior (1 Cor 15:3-4). At the moment of faith in Christ, we become “children of God” (John 1:12), are transferred to the kingdom of His Son (Col 1:13), forgiven all our sins (Eph 1:7), given eternal life (John 10:28), the gift of righteousness (Rom 5:17; Phil 3:9), and the power to live holy (Rom 6:11-14). And, it is God’s will that we advance to spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1; Eph 4:11-13; 1 Pet 2:2), and serve as His ambassadors to others (2 Cor 5:20). Continue reading →

Posted in Angels & Demons, Christian Theology, Church, Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Worldview | Tagged a divided world, A Divided World Until Christ Returns, can we fix the world?, can we make the world better?, do good works save?, God's sovereignty, How should we live in the devil's world?, Is there lasting hope for good and peace?, parable of the wheat and tares, Satan as ruler of this world, Satan's world system, should Christians do good?, should Christians engage in social reform?, suffering, The blessed hope, The Rapture of the Church, the return of Christ, the suffering of the righteous, Who rules the kingdoms of this world?, why do the righteous suffer | 4 Comments

Where Satan is Attacking in America

Posted on September 11, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Satan’s tactics are employed globally, with all the nations of the world. His globalist mindset and tactics are intended to weaken nations in order to keep them under his control. America is an exception to most nations because it was founded—for the most part—on biblical values. As a result, God has blessed our country greatly. We know more freedom and prosperity than any other nation on the planet at this time. However, America is under attack, and if Satan can undermine the nation’s values, convincing the majority to turn from God and live selfishly and sinfully, then we’ll forfeit our freedoms and blessings. Much of this article will focus on those areas where Satan is attacking to undermine those biblical values that make for stability in a nation. Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Biblical Worldview, Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Inspirational Writings, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged A future hope for America?, A hope for America, America is in moral decline, America is in spiritual decline, Biblical values which American strong, Can we save America?, Christians in America, Christians living in America, God controls human history, God is sovereign over the world, Hope for America, How is Satan attacking America, How is Satan undermining America?, is Satan attacking America?, Nationalism or globalism?, Satan's attacks on America, Undermining America, Where Satan is Attacking in America, Why is Satan attacking?, Will America be destroyed?, Will America fall? | 1 Comment

A Brief Look at Slavery in the Bible

Posted on August 30, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free…[and] if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:32, 36). The apostle Paul wrote, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery…[and] you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Gal 5:1, 13). The offer of freedom assumes slavery, bondage, servitude. Everyone is born in sin and enslaved to Satan’s kingdom of darkness. Satan’s slave-market of sin is both positional and experiential. Jesus paid our sin debt and offers us freedom, but we must accept His offer. Jesus’ atoning death is sufficient for all, but effective only for those who trust in Him as Savior (John 3:16; Acts 4:12; 16:30-31; Eph 2:8-9). Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Righteous Living, Salvation | Tagged Free to pursue righteousness, Freedom in Christ, Satan's slave market of sin, Satan's domain of darkness, slave to Satan, Slavery, Slavery in Israel, slavery in the Bible, slavery in the NT, slavery in the OT, slaves to sin, the kingdom of darkness, what does the Bible say about slavery? | Leave a comment

The Gospel Explained

Posted on July 11, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

In order for us to be reconciled to God, we must simply trust in Jesus as our Savior (John 3:16; 20:30-31; Acts 4:12; 16:30-31). The gospel message is that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3-4). When we trust in Christ as our Savior, we are forgiven all our sins (Eph 1:7; Col 1:14), given eternal life (John 3:16; 10:27-28), and receive the righteousness of God as a free gift (Rom 5:17; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9). Continue reading →

Posted in Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Salvation | Tagged can good works get me into heaven?, Do works save?, is salvation by faith alone?, Jesus died for me, The Gospel message, The meaning of the gospel message, What is the Gospel?, What must I do to be saved?, Why did Jesus die on the cross?, Why the cross of Christ? | 15 Comments

Faith Strengthening Techniques

Posted on June 14, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

When facing opposition to doing God’s will, the believer must stand on truth. When fear rises among believers, there are faith-strengthening techniques we can apply to our situation that will fortify our walk with God. These techniques are all learned from Scripture and applied by faith. Continue reading →

Posted in Counseling, Hot Topics, Inspirational Writings, Living by Faith, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged faith strengthening techniques, faith that overcomes fear, faith-strengthening techniques, Grow your faith, how to have strong faith, How to strengthen your faith, Live in God's Word, Look to God, Look up to God, remember the Lord's past faithfulness, strengthen your faith, Strong faith, When fear rises | 1 Comment

Satan’s Strategies to Defeat God’s People

Posted on May 28, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

In this article, we will consider six major strategies Satan employs to attack God’s people and hinder spiritual growth and ministry. The purpose of this study is that we might learn how Satan attacks, “so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes” (2 Cor 2:11). Knowing Satan’s strategies of war enables us to identify an attack and to defend ourselves by taking up the armor of God. Learning God’s Word and living by faith is the key to victory. Continue reading →

Posted in Angels & Demons, Hot Topics, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged How does Satan attack Christians, major strategies Satan employs to attack God’s peoplem, Satan accuses us before God, Satan as a messenger of light, Satan empowers his false prophets, Satan is a liar who twists God’s Word, Satan masquerades as a messenger of light, Satan promotes sinful pride, Satan uses suffering to pressure us to turn from God, Satan's attacks, Satan's deceptive practices, Satan's methods of attack, Satan's strategies, Satan’s Strategies to Defeat God’s People, What are Satan's strategies, What strategies does the devil use to defeat us? | 5 Comments

Biblical Self-Talk

Posted on March 15, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Self-talk is a mechanism of our reasoning that includes mental dialogues that can be quite complex. The dialogue can originate solely within our mind, or be influenced by external experiences or discussions. Sometimes these dialogues are pleasant, and sometimes not. And they can approximate reality, or be pure fantasy. The Bible presents a number of passages that address what today would be called self-talk (Gen 17:17; Deut 7:17; 8:17; 9:4; 18:21; 1 Sam 27:1; Psa 14:1; Isa 49:21; Jer 3:17-25; Luke 7:39; 16:3; 18:4). On several occasions, David faced pressure in life that disrupted his mental state and he took control of His thoughts and directed them to God (Psa 13:1-6; 42:1-11; 131:1-2). In these instances, David was his own biblical counselor as he applied God’s Word to his own situation and effected stability in his soul. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Counseling, Hot Topics, Spirituality | Tagged Arguing with self, Biblical counseling, Biblical self talk, Changing our thoughts, Controlling our thoughts, Counseling oneself, Mental dialogues, Mental drama, Mental productions, self counseling, Self talk, Why we think the way we do | 5 Comments

The Sovereignty and Providence of God

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Scripture reveals God’s sovereignty and how He governs His universe, creating and controlling circumstances, and directing the lives of His people, allowing them to partner with Him to accomplish His good in the world. By learning about God’s sovereignty and studying His past providential acts, believers can create a rational filter through which circumstances can be interpreted and classified within a mental framework. The growing believer takes great delight in knowing God is good, loving, wise, and in control of His creation and is directing all things according to His sovereign plan. Those who are positive to God and operate from the divine perspective know that He “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28). Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Worldview, Christian Theology, God, Hot Topics, Living by Faith | Tagged God's directive will, God's overruling will, God's permissive will, God's providence, God's providential care, God's sovereignty, How does God govern His creation, How does God govern His world, Is God controlling the world, Is God in control, Jesus as an example of God's providence, Joseph as an example of God's providence, The plan of God, the Sovereignty of God, The will of God, What does the Bible say about God's providence, what does the Bible say about God's sovereignty, What is God's providence, What is God's Sovereignty, What is the plan of God | 6 Comments

The Person and Attributes of God

Posted on January 25, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Scripture opens with the statement, “In the beginning God” (Gen 1:1a). The Bible does not seek to prove the existence of God, but simply acknowledges His being. The Bible teaches God has made Himself known through nature. David wrote, “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands” (Psa 19:1). And Paul stated, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made” (Rom 1:20). Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Worldview, Christian Theology, God, Hot Topics | Tagged A sense of deity in every person, God exists as a Trinity, God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Son, Learning about God, studying the attributes of God, The attributes of God, The Person of God, the sensus divinitatis, The Trinity, Theism vs atheism, What are God's attributes, what are God's characteristics, What the Bible reveals about God, What the Bible reveals about the Trinity, Why atheism is wrong | 2 Comments

The Bible as Divine Revelation

Posted on January 17, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The Bible is God’s special written revelation to mankind, it is true in all it affirms, provides absolute standards for ethics, is authoritative to command, is dynamic in its effect, and beneficial to those who accept and live in its light Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Exegesis, Christian Theology, Hermeneutics, Hot Topics, Living by Faith | Tagged Biblical Inerrancy, Ethics and the Bible, God's word gives light, God's word illumines our path, God's word is sufficient, God's word is truth, God's word provides absolutes, Is the Bible the word of God or the word of man?, Is the Bible the word of God?, The authority of Scripture, The Bible as divine revelation, The Bible as special revelation, The Bible as the standard for ethics, The Bible is God's written word, The Bible is infallible, The impact of God's word, the sufficiency of Scripture, Thy word is truth, Verbal plenary inspiration | 10 Comments

Something Wrong with America

Posted on January 15, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

We all recognize there is something wrong with the world and mankind. Our news channels never fail to keep us up to date on all that is destructive, harmful, or corrupt in society. If they are not telling us about some political scandal, they are surely informing us about the atrocities of war, crime, racism, murder, pollution, dangerous viruses, poverty, social inequality, or some other crisis that never seems to go away. And, it seems, where a crisis cannot be found, one can be artificially manufactured and perpetuated, all for the purpose of advancing some narrative that keeps ratings high. Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Biblical Worldview, Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Living by Faith | Tagged American revival, Christian worldview, false Bible teachers, False teachers in the church, Hope for America, if God's people will humble themselves, Is the church to blame for America's decline?, Prayer for revival, revival in America, Something wrong with America, Spiritual darkness, spiritual darkness over America, the church that fails, The spiritual decline in America, what does it take to turn America around, what's wrong with America | 7 Comments

Yahweh’s Holy War

Posted on November 25, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The phrase Holy War is used by many to describe Israel’s conquest on the land of Canaan. I prefer the phrase Yahweh’s Holy War, since the Lord is the One who directed and empowered His people to military action. In Scripture, God is described as “a warrior” (Ex 15:3), and “the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you” (Deut 20:4), who is “mighty in battle” (Psa 24:8). He is, without question, “the God of the armies of Israel” (1 Sam 17:45). Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Christian Theology, Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Israel, Righteous Living | Tagged Child sacrifice to molech, Did Israel practice child sacrifice?, haram in the OT, holy war, Idolatry in Canaan, Is holy war biblical?, Israel and holy war, Israel's conquest of Canaan, Should the church practice holy war?, The conquest of Canaan, the evil of Canaan, the evil practiced by the Canaanites, The worship of Molech, Was Israel justified in killing the Canaanites?, what does the Bible say about holy war?, Why did God tell the Israelites to kill all the Canaanites?, Yahweh's holy war | 1 Comment

Proverbs 31 – Snapshot of an Excellent Woman

Posted on October 25, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Proverbs 31 describes the woman of excellence. The phrase an excellent wife (Pro 31:10; Heb. אֵשֶׁת־חַיִלesheth chayil) was first used of Ruth, who was described as a woman of excellence (Ruth 3:11, NASB) or a woman of noble character (CSB). Ruth was the great-grandmother of King David, who married Bathsheba, who is perhaps the one who shared her wisdom with her son, King Solomon (Pro 31:1). If this is correct, then it’s possible Bathsheba saw in Ruth a template for the woman of noble character. A study of the book of Ruth reveals she was committed to God and His people (Ruth 1:16-17; 2:11), possessed a strong work ethic (Ruth 2:7, 17), listened to good advice (Ruth 2:8-9; 3:1-6), showed respect to others (Ruth 2:10), cared for the needy (Ruth 2:17-18), sought to marry a noble man (Ruth 3:7-10; 4:13), and was praised for her excellence and love for others (Ruth 3:11; 4:15). Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Inspirational Writings, Marriage, Righteous Living | Tagged An excellent wife, an excellent woman, characteristics of godly women, godly women, Proverbs 31 describes the woman of excellence, proverbs 31 woman, Ruth as a model for the excellent wife, snapshot of the woman of excellence, the woman of noble character, what does the Bible say about the role of women in marriage?, what does the Bible say about women?, who is the excellent wife?, Who is the excellent woman? | Leave a comment

The Seven Year Tribulation

Posted on October 17, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

There is coming a future time of tribulation upon the earth. Its severity is without historical precedent. Concerning this time, the angel, Gabriel, told Daniel, that it “will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time” (Dan 12:1a). This time of tribulation is in keeping with unfulfilled prophecy given to Daniel that pertains to Israel (Dan 9:24-27). It is during this time that God’s wrath will be poured out upon the world—specifically those who are hostile to Him and His people. Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Christian Theology, Dispensationalism, Hot Topics, Israel, Prophecy | Tagged a future time of tribulation, Daniel 9:24-27, Daniel's seventieth week, Daniel's seventy weeks, The day of the Lord, The future tribulation, the great tribulation, the seven year tribulation, the time of Jacob's trouble, The tribulation, unfulfilled prophecy given to Daniel, what is the Tribulation?, when the tribulation occur?, Where does the Bible teach the seven year tribulation? | Leave a comment

The Rapture of the Church

Posted on October 3, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The Bible reveals Jesus will return to earth; however, a distinction must be drawn between Jesus coming for His saints at the Rapture, and Jesus coming with His saints at His Second Coming to reign for a thousand years. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Church, Hot Topics, Prophecy | Tagged Caught up to meet the Lord in the air, Does the Bible teach the church will be raptured?, Five views on the Rapture of the church, Harpazo, Jesus is coming back for His church, Latin Rapturo, Rapture, Rapture is immanent, The doctrine of the Rapture, The Rapture of the Church, We shall be changed, What is the Rapture of the church? | 2 Comments

A Christian View of Death

Posted on September 26, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Once, when I was working in jail ministry, I met a Christian man who told me about his older brother’s death. The incident, he said, had occurred several years earlier. He and his brother were drinking and arguing … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Death, Hot Topics, Living by Faith | Tagged A Christian view of death, Born in sin, Born to die, death, Death and the Bible, Death in the Bible, Death or rapture, Do Christians go to heaven?, eternal death, hamartiology, Heaven, Inspirational Writings and tagged Adam's sin, lake of fire, original sin, Physical death, raising the dead, resurrection, resurrection from the dead, resurrection life, separation from God, spiritual death, the resurrection, What does Scripture say about death, what happens at death?, what happens when the Christian dies?, What happens when we leave this world?, What the Bible teaches about death | 1 Comment

God Used Jonah to Change a Culture

Posted on September 22, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

God used the preaching of Jonah to change the corrupt culture of Nineveh. Around 760 BC, God sent His prophet, Jonah, to preach a message of judgment to Nineveh, a major city in Assyria. The reason for the message was, as God declared, “their wickedness has come up before Me” (Jon 1:2). As “the Judge of all the earth” (Gen 18:25), God had paid attention to the wickedness of the Ninevites, and the time was near for Him to pour out His wrath. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Church, Hot Topics, Leadership, Righteous Living | Tagged Changing culture, Christian influence on culture, God spared Nineveh because they humbled themselves, God spared Nineveh because they repented, God used the preaching of Jonah to change the corrupt culture of Nineveh, God will judge America, How America's preachers have failed, improving a corrupt culture, improving culture, Jonah's preaching to Nineveh, Righteous living in America, When God judges nations, Will God judge America? | 1 Comment

The Gospel We Share

Posted on September 19, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Salvation is completely the work of God, comes to us as a free gift from God (Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5), as we are “justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24). When we trust in Christ as our Savior, we are forgiven all our sins (Eph 1:7; Col 1:14), positionally identified with Him (Rom 5:14-18; 1 Cor 15:22), given eternal life (John 3:16; 10:27-28), given the gift of God’s righteousness (Rom 5:17; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9), and have the power to live righteously (Rom 6:1-13). God saves us from the penalty of sin (John 5:24; Rom 6:23; 8:1), the power of sin (Rom 6:11; 8:13; 2 Cor 5:17), and ultimately the presence of sin (Phil 3:21; 1 John 3:2). God has prepared good works to follow our salvation (Eph 2:10), but they are never the condition of it. The matter is simple: Salvation comes to us who believe in Christ as our Savior, believing He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Salvation | Tagged faith alone in christ alone, Free Grace Salvation, Lordship salvation, The Gospel We Share, What is the Gospel message?, What is the Gospel?, What must I do to be saved? | 9 Comments

Improving Culture – A NT Example

Posted on September 17, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Culture represents the values, traditions and behaviors of a society, and though culture is improvable, it is not perfectible. And even where positive change occurs, it’s difficult to perpetuate, largely because the people needed to sustain the change are few, flawed and temporary. A society’s culture is no better or worse than its leaders and the citizenry who support them; and at the heart of every problem is the problem of the heart. Apart from regeneration and a transformed mind and will, people will default to selfishness and sin, and so social problems continue. Furthermore, if we did make great improvements, we cannot guarantee succeeding generations will follow the good pattern set for them. Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Christian Theology, Church, Hot Topics, Leadership, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged Acts 19 and Paul preaching in Ephesus, Acts 19:8-41, Are there any biblical examples where society was made better, Biblical examples of improving culture, Biblical examples of making society better, Biblical teaching on how to improve society, Does the Bible give ways we can make society better, Finding the lost scroll in the temple, How can Christians improve culture, How can Christians improve society, How can Christians make American better, How to improve culture, Paul preaching in Ephesus, Paul teaching at the school of Tyrannus, Sharing the gospel to make society better, The riot that occurred in Ephesus, Ways Christians can improve American society, Ways to improve culture, What does the Bible say about improving culture | 4 Comments

Biblical Examples of Riots and How They Were Handled – Part 3

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

A riot is a form of civil unrest in which a group causes a public disturbance by destroying property and/or harming innocent people. Often, there are corrupt individuals or groups who instigate a riot, either as a means of retaliation for some perceived injustice (real or imagined), or simply to cause disruption as a means of leveraging power within the community (i.e. a power grab). Many within the mob are willing pawns who are manipulated to act violently. The Bible teaches, “Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness” (Jam 1:19-20). However, because rioters are often more emotional than rational, it becomes very difficult to restrain a mob except by physical force. This is why a well-trained and supported police force is necessary for civil peace. Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged Biblical examples of mobs, Biblical examples of riots, How should Christians respond to a riot?, How should Christians respond to riots, How were riots handled in the Bible, Mobs in the Bible, Paul experienced a riot in Ephesus, Paul experienced a riot in Jerusalem, Paul in Ephesus, Paul in Jerusalem, riots in the Bible, The Bible and riots, what does the Bible say about riots | 1 Comment

Biblical Examples of Riots and How They Were Handled – Part 2

Posted on September 2, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Posted in Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged Biblical examples of riots, Biblical Examples of Riots and How They Were Handled, How should Christians handle riots?, How should Christians repsond to riots?, Paul and Silas before the Mob, Paul and Silas in Philippi, riots in the Bible, The stoning of Stephen, what does the Bible say about riots | 2 Comments

Biblical Examples of Riots and How They Were Handled – Part 1

Posted on August 30, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

A riot is a form of civil unrest in which a group causes a public disturbance by the destruction of property and/or the harm of innocent people. Often, there are corrupt individuals or groups who instigate a riot, either as a means of retaliation for some perceived injustice (real or imagined), or simply to cause disruption as a means of leveraging power within the community (i.e. a power grab). Many within the mob are merely pawns who are manipulated toward aggression or violence. The Bible teaches, “Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness” (Jam 1:19-20).[1] However, because rioters are often more emotional than rational, it becomes very difficult to restrain a mob except by physical force. This is why a well-trained and supported police force is necessary for civil peace. Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Christian Theology, Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Righteous Living | Tagged are there examples of riots in the Bible?, Biblical Examples of Riots and How They Were Handled, How should Christians handle riots?, How should Christians respond to riots?, How to handle a riot, How to handle yourself in a riot, riots and the Bible, riots in the Bible, What does the Bible say about handling riots? | 5 Comments

The Effects of Sin Upon Our World

Posted on August 23, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

This article is intended is to show how the historic fall of Adam and Eve fundamentally changed the human race and the world, resulting in disease, decay and death among all living things, and that the tendency of humanity is to behave in a spiritually and morally corrupt manner, suppressing God’s truth and rejecting His solutions to life’s problems. Understanding this helps us make sense of the world in which we live and why people behave the way they do. Continue reading →

Posted in Angels & Demons, Christian Theology, Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged hamartiology, How in impacts the family, How sin impacts our lives, how sin impacts society, How sin impacts the world, how we overcome sin, Sin causes problems in the world, sin is lawlessness, sin means to miss the mark, sinners by choice, sinners by nature, sinners in Adam, slaves to sin, The Effects of Sin Upon Our World, the heart is sinful, the heart is wicked, The Meaning of Sin, The noetic effects of sin, The origin of sin, The Sin Nature Within the Christian, why do we sin?, why is society acting corruptly, Why we sin, why we sin? | 15 Comments

Demons and How They Influence Mankind

Posted on August 21, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Angels are basically classified as either righteous or evil. The former retain their holy state and service to God and are called elect angels (1 Tim 5:21), whereas the latter have defected from their original state and continue in constant rebellion against God. Satan is the leader of all fallen angels (Matt 25:41; cf. Rev 12:7, 9), which Scripture designates as evil spirits (1 Sam 16:14; Luke 7:21), demons (Matt 8:31), and unclean spirits (Mark 5:1-4). These have been operating for millennia trying to frustrate the purposes of God. Continue reading →

Posted in Angels & Demons, Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged Biblical demonology, demons, Demons and How They Influence Mankind, Demons are active in the world today, Demons in the world today, Demons influence spiritual matters, demons influencing mankind, Do demons influence political matters, evil spirits, Evils spirits influencing world rulers, fighting spiritual battles, how do we fight spiritually?, how to fight evil spirits, how to we fight demons, spiritual battles, spiritual warfare, uncelan spirits, What are demons, what are the weapons we use for spiritual warfare, What the Bible says about demons, What the Bible says about evil spirits, where do demons come from? | 15 Comments

Satan’s Evil World-System

Posted on August 19, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The Bible recognizes Satan’s world-system and warns us not to love it (1 John 2:15-16). When John writes and tells the Christian “do not love the world”, he’s not talking about the physical planet. The Greek word κόσμος kosmos as it is used by the apostle John and others most often refers to “that which is hostile to God…lost in sin, wholly at odds with anything divine, ruined and depraved.” (BDAG) Satan’s world-system consists of those philosophies and values that perpetually influence humanity to think and behave contrary to God and His Word. This operating apart from God is first and foremost a way of thinking that is antithetical to God and His Word, a way of thinking motivated by a desire to be free from God and the authority of Scripture, a freedom most will accept, even though it is accompanied by all sorts of inconsistencies and absurdities. Continue reading →

Posted in Angels & Demons, Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged Christians are commanded not to love the world, do not love the world, How Satan rules the world, Rescued from the domain of darkness, Satan's domain of darkness, Satan's world system, the kingdom of darkness | 22 Comments

The Biblical Teaching on Tithes

Posted on June 27, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The word tithe means “to give a tenth.” The tithe consisted of produce and livestock (Lev 27:30-32), and was given to the Levites for their support for ministry (Num 18:21-24). The Levites, in turn, gave a tithe of the tithe to the Priests for their service (Num 18:25-28). Additionally, the worshipper could eat a portion of the sacrifice with his family and the Levites (Deut 12:17-19; 14:22-27). Lastly, a tithe was taken every third year to help the poor, the alien, the orphans and the widows. This tithe was comparable to a social welfare system for the most unfortunate in society. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Church, Dispensationalism, Hot Topics, Israel, Living by Faith, Righteous Living | Tagged biblical giving, biblical tithing, Christian giving, does the Christian have to tithe?, giving, giving or tithing, is tithing biblical?, Law of Christ, mosaic law, Should Christians tithe?, ten percent, The Biblical Teaching on Tithes, tithing, what did people in the OT tithe | 10 Comments

The Old and New Priesthood

Posted on June 6, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Presently, in the church age, every Christian, at the moment of salvation, becomes a priest to God. Peter writes of Christians, saying, “you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 2:5), and “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9). This is the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who “has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father” (Rev 1:6), and “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth” (Rev 5:10; cf. 20:6). Furthermore, we do not worship at a temple; rather, “we are the temple of the living God” (2 Cor 6:16; cf. 1 Cor 3:16-17). And we do not bring animal sacrifices, but “offer up spiritual sacrifices” to God (1 Pet 2:5). Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Church, Dispensationalism, Hot Topics, Righteous Living | Tagged A chosen race, A kingdom of priests, A living and holy sacrifice, a royal priesthood, Christ our High Priests, Every Christian is a priest, Offering spiritual sacrifices, Spiritual sacrifices, Spiritual service of worship, The Christian Priesthood, the Levitical priesthood, the old and new priesthood, The priesthood of every believer, The sacrifice of praise, What did Jewish priests do?, Who is a priest? | 1 Comment

King David – the Good and the Bad

Posted on May 12, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The Bible describes David as a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14; cf. Acts 13:22). This is a huge compliment, but what does it mean? God certainly knew David’s heart and what kind of king he would be, for He informed His prophet, Samuel, saying, “God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Sam 16:7). However, we should not conclude that David was perfectly obedient and kept the Lord’s will in all matters in his life. He did not. No believer ever does, for there are none who are sinless, except the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 1 Jo 3:5). But David obeyed the Lord in important matters, and apart from a few major offences, he did not generally commit egregious sins. Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Christian Theology, God's Grace, Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Leadership | Tagged 1 Samuel 13:14, A man after God's own heart, David and Bathsheba, David confessed his sins, David has Uriah killed, David practiced polygamy, David practiced the sin of polygamy, David takes a census, David the good king, David was a man after God's own heart, David's affair with Bathsheba, David's humility, David's sins, God's grace, grace is a chief characteristic of God, He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Humility is a lowliness of mind, King David, Why could God call David a man after His own heart? | 1 Comment

God’s Imputed Righteousness

Posted on February 29, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, God's Grace, Hot Topics, Righteous Living, Salvation | Tagged Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, Are good works necessary for salvation?, Are we credited with God's righteousness?, do good works save?, Genesis 15:6, God's gift of righteousness, God's imputed righteousness, How are we made right with God?, how can a holy God justify unworthy sinners?, How does God justify sinners?, Imputed righteousness, On what basis are we made right with God?, Righteousness as a gift from God, Romans 4:1-5, Salvation is by grace alone, the gift of righteousness, three biblical imputations, What did Jesus accomplish at the cross?, what does the Bible say about imputed righteousness?, Why odes God justify sinners? | 7 Comments

They Will Suffer for Your Unfaithfulness

Posted on December 29, 2019 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Numbers chapters 13 & 14 reveal the biblical concept of blessing and cursing by association. In this section of Scripture, God disciplined the Israelites in the wilderness because of their disobedience, and that discipline had direct impact on their children. The key verse in this article in Numbers 14:33, which reads, “But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness. Your sons shall be shepherds for forty years in the wilderness, and they will suffer for your unfaithfulness, until your corpses lie in the wilderness.” Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Leadership, Living by Faith | Tagged blessing and cursing by association, blessing and cursing by association is biblical, Choices have consequences, Choosing faith over fear, Choosing fear over faith, growing spiritually, how we live impacts the lives of others, Israel in the wilderness, Joshua and Caleb, Live by faith, Living by faith, My Godly grandmother, The spies in the land, They Will Suffer for Your Unfaithfulness, Trust in the Lord, When bad choices impact others, Why children suffer for because of bad parents, Why Israel was denied entrance into the Promised Land | 2 Comments

Biblical Meditation

Posted on December 24, 2019 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Meditation, in the biblical sense, is an intentional filling of the mind with divine viewpoint; specifically, God’s Word. The purpose is to saturate our thinking with Scripture so that it will permeate all aspects of our reasonings and guide us in God’s will. This stands in stark contrast to the eastern view of meditation, which instructs adherents to empty the mind and to think nothing at all. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Hot Topics | Tagged Biblical Meditation, Christian meditation, Eastern view of meditation, Is meditation biblical?, Is meditation emptying the mind?, meditate day and night, Meditating on God's Word, Meditating on Scripture, Meditation, The biblical view of meditation, the Hebrew verb הָגָה hagah, What does the Bible say about meditation?, What is biblical meditation? | 3 Comments

Theological Categories of God’s Justice

Posted on November 16, 2019 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The righteousness of God refers to the intrinsic, immutable, moral perfection of God, from which He commands all things, in heaven and earth, and declares as good that which conforms to His righteousness and as evil that which deviates. The righteousness and the justice of God work together. Whatever God’s righteousness requires, His justice executes; either to approve or reject, to bless or condemn. The various theological categories of God’s righteousness include rectoral justice, retributive justice, remunerative justice, redemptive justice, and restorative justice. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Hot Topics | Tagged Aspects of God's justice, Biblical categories of God's justice, God's Justice, God's justice explained, God's righteousness, God's righteousness defined, God's sovereignty, How should we understand God's justice, rectoral justice, redemptive justice, remunerative justice, restorative justice, retributive justice, Theological aspects of God's justice, Theological categories of God's justice, What does the Bible say about God's justice?, What is God's justice? | 21 Comments

Chasing After Donkeys

Posted on October 8, 2019 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

God’s providence refers to His wise and personal acts, whereby He creates and controls circumstances in order to direct history according to His predetermined plan, all for His glory and the benefit of His people. As Christians, we live in the flow of history, and are moved by the circumstances He controls, for the Lord “does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” (Dan 4:35). Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Inspirational Writings, Leadership, Living by Faith | Tagged Chasing after donkeys, Does God direct us through circumstances, election, God's control over his creation, God's influence in the world, God's providence, God's sovereign control, how did Saul become King?, how do we know God's will?, How does God direct our lives?, How God directs our lives, How God directs our lvies, How God leads, King Saul, Knowing God's will, Providence, Providential control, Providential sovereignty, When Saul became king | 6 Comments

Social Justice from a Biblical Perspective

Posted on July 27, 2019 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

When Israel was a theocratic kingdom, God legislated certain benefits to the poor, widows, orphans and sojourners in order to meet their daily needs, and these were to be given by those whom He’d blessed with abundance. God instructed His leaders to uphold and defend the rights of the vulnerable, knowing there would be wicked persons who would seek to exploit them. Sadly, much of Israel’s history was marked by a breakdown among His people, as the leaders and wealthy in the land exploited the poor they were called to defend. Now, in the Church age, God provides care for the needy in society through human governments, as well as through individual Christians and local churches. Lastly, perfect government will come in the future when Jesus Christ returns and establishes His kingdom on earth and provides righteous reign and care for all. Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Worldview, Christian Theology, Church, Hot Topics, Leadership, Living by Faith, Righteous Living | Tagged A Christian view of social justice, caring for the por, Christians and social justice, helping orphans, Helping the homeless, Helping the poor, helping widows, Scripture for social justice, social justice, social justice and Christians, Social justice and the Bible, Social justice and the church, Social Justice from a Biblical Perspective, The church and social justice, what does God say about social justice, what does the Bible say about helping the poor, What does the Bible say about social justice?, what is social justice | 6 Comments

When God Gives Us a Test

Posted on July 16, 2019 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

God tests His people. It’s a fact that is repeated throughout Scripture (Exo 16:4; 20:20; Deu 13:3; Jud 3:1-2; Isa 48:10). He tests us with difficult situations in order to humble us, so that we will not look to ourselves for strength, but to Him. In the end, the test reveals that it is God who provides for us. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Inspirational Writings, Living by Faith, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged Each day has enough trouble of its own, Faith for today, Faith for tomorrow, Jehovah Jireh, Learning to trust in God, Seek first His kingdom, Seek the Lord, The Lord will provide, The purpose of testing, the value of suffering, The value of testing, When Abraham offered Isaac, When God gives us a test, Why did God test Abraham?, Why does God test His people?, Why does the Lord test us?, Yahweh Yireh | 10 Comments

How to Deal with Jealousy

Posted on June 13, 2019 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Jealousy can be either healthy or unhealthy, depending on the motivation of the heart. God is jealous. He is jealous to protect His glory (Isa 42:8), His name (Eze 39:25; cf. Isa 42:8), and His people (Zec 8:2). When we love what God loves, then we’ll possess a godly jealousy, like Elijah (1 Ki 19:10) and Paul (2 Cor 11:2). But when we care little about God, then sinful jealousy will dominate our hearts, and we’ll seek to destroy rather than protect and edify others, such as when Joseph’s brothers tried to kill him (Gen 37:11-28), or when the Sadducees attacked and imprisoned the apostles (Acts 5:17-18). We overcome sinful jealousy by: 1) placing God’s Word at the center of our lives and letting it direct our thoughts, words and actions (Psa 1:2; 2 Cor 10:5), 2) realizing the Lord owns everything (Psa 24:1; 89:11), and that He is free to leave or take whatever we have, including possessions, family, or health (Job 1:6-21), and, 3) that sinful jealousy cannot exist in a heart saturated with God’s love, for “Love…is not jealous” (1 Cor 13:4). Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Christian Theology, Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Inspirational Writings, Living by Faith, Love, Marriage, Righteous Living | Tagged A definition of jealousy, Does God get jealous?, God's jealousy, godly jealousy, How to deal with jealousy, How to deal with sinful jealousy, Is envy and jealousy different?, Is jealousy a sin?, Is jealousy ever right?, Should Christians be jealous?, What does the Bible say about Godly jealousy?, what does the Bible say about jealousy?, what is sinful jealousy?, Why are we jealous?, Why is God jealous? | 2 Comments

When God Uses Evil Actions for His Good

Posted on March 10, 2019 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Through Scripture, God gives His people the capacity to see all of life from His vantage point. Having God’s perspective allows us to rise about the daily grind of life and the petty actions of others and realize there is a sovereign God who rules over His creation and directs the activities of mankind—even evil activities—for His own good and the good of His people. For this reason, we can understand Paul’s words and know “that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Living by Faith | Tagged All Things Work Together for Good, Divine viewpoint, Genesis 50:20, God can use evil actions to bring about good, God meant it for good, God was with Joseph, God's providence, God's sovereignty, How did God use the evil actions of Joseph's brothers for good, human viewpoint, Joseph sold into slavery, Living by faith in adversity, living with the divine perspective, Providence, Romans 8:28, Seeing life from God's perspective, The story of Joseph | 8 Comments

Alexander the Coppersmith

Posted on February 3, 2019 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

There are times when it’s necessary to specifically name a person as hostile in order to warn others to avoid unnecessary harm. This was true of the apostle Paul, who warned his friend, Timothy, about a man named Alexander. Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged Alexander the Coppersmith, avoiding people who cause trouble, Avoiding trouble, God will repay, God will repay those who hurt us, Guard yourself from others who want to hurt you, Is it ok to name people and their faults?, Never seek retaliation, Never take your own revenge, Protect yourself from people who want to hurt you, When to avoid trouble, When to guard yourself from others | 1 Comment

Submission to Authority – Part III

Posted on January 26, 2019 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Christians will, at times, suffer unjustly at the hands of those whom God has placed in authority over us, like the suffering Hagar experienced at the hand of Sarai. And, the harsh or immoral character of leaders should never dictate our response; rather, we should be governed by God’s Word, as we look to Christ as our example of unjust suffering. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Leadership, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged 1 Peter 2:18, Abram and Sarai and Hagar, Genesis 16, Jesus as our example of submitting to authority, Living by faith under a harsh boss, Should I submit to my boss when he's a jerk?, Should we submit to abusive authority?, Should we submit to harsh leaders?, Submission to authority, Submitting to the boss, The conception of Ishmael, When should we say "no" to authority?, Why did God make Hagar submit to Sarai? | 8 Comments

Submission to Authority – Part II

Posted on January 21, 2019 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Rebellion against God’s authority started with Satan, an angelic creature who, at an unspecified time, led an angelic revolt against God and created a kingdom of darkness. Afterward, God created Adam and Eve to serve under His authority, as mediatorial administrators who cared for the earth. However, God permitted Satan to tempt Adam and Eve to rebel against His authority, and when they agreed to follow Satan, his kingdom of darkness was expanded and he became the temporary ruler of this world. According to God’s wise plan and sovereign will, He sent His Son into the world and the Son added humanity to Himself, lived an absolutely righteous life in obedience to His Father and went to the cross and died for sinful humanity. At the cross, Jesus reclaimed this world and pronounced judgment and sentencing for Satan, who will eventually be cast into the Lake of Fire forever. Until that time, Satan continues as a subversive living in God’s world, and he has many followers who are used by him to subvert God’s will on earth. These enemies of God seek to infiltrate governmental systems and command people—both saved and lost—to disobey God. Though Christians are commanded to obey human leaders, we can never obey a command that is contrary to God’s will. Continue reading →

Posted in Angels & Demons, Bad Behavior, Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Leadership, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged Adam and Eve rebelled against God, Adam and Eve submitted to Satan, Civil disobedience, God intended Adam and Eve to rule over the earth, God is always sovereign, God permits Satan to act, God permits Satan to tempt His people, God's sovereignty, Good end evil coexist, Is Satan the god of this age?, Is Satan the god of this world?, Is Satan the ruler of this world?, Is there a time when Christians disobey authority?, Jesus reclaimed the world, Satan convinced Adam and Eve to rebel against God's authority, Satan has planted subversives in the world, Satan is the god of this age, Satan is the god of this world, Satan led an angelic revolt in heaven, Satan rebelled against God's authority, Satan's world system, Submission to authority, the fall of Satan, The parable of the wheat and the tares, When did Satan fall?, When should the Christian refuse to obey authority?, Why does good and evil coexist? | 8 Comments

Submission to Authority – Part I

Posted on January 13, 2019 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

God is the supreme Ruler of His creation, and He has established human governmental authorities to promote law and order. This means He has delegated authority to persons and groups who serve as administrative overseers to others. As Christians, we are commanded to submit to those in authority over us, whether it is the president, state governors, local city officials, police officers, employers, parents, teachers, etc. Failure to submit to human authority is regarded as failure to submit to God, Who has placed those persons over us. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Leadership, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged 1 Peter 2:13-14, Biblical examples of submission to authority, Christian citizenship, God delegates authority, God is the supreme ruler over creation, hupotasso, Pray of those in authority, Romans 13:1, Should believers submit to human authority?, Submission to authority, Submit to authority, what does it mean to submit to authority?, What does the Bible say about submission to authority?, when can the believer say no to authority? | 8 Comments

Twelve Ways to Deal with a Bad Boss

Posted on November 15, 2018 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The purpose of this article is to provide several tools for the Christian who is struggling under a bad boss. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Leadership | Tagged Applying Scripture to a bad work environment, Bad boss, bad leadership, Characteristics of a bad boss, characteristics of a good boss, Christian answers to dealing with a bad boss, coping with a bad boss, familiar traits of a bad boss, Good boss, How to handle the bad boss, identifying the bad boss, praying for leadership, Scriptures pertaining to the bad boss, Submission to authority, surviving the bad boss, Twelve Ways to Deal with a Bad Boss, Ways to deal with a bad boss, ways to deal with bad leadership, what does the Bible say about dealing with a bad boss?, What makes a boss good? | 9 Comments

The Wrath of God

Posted on November 6, 2018 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

God’s wrath refers to His intense hatred of sin. God’s hatred of sin is primarily born out of His attributes of righteousness and love. Righteousness and love are eternal attributes, but wrath is not. God’s wrath is the natural response to that which is contrary to His righteousness and love. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Hamartiology, Hot Topics | Tagged A definition of God's wrath, Be angry but do not sin, Be angy, Be slow to anger, Believers should be slow to anger, Does God get angry?, Examples of God's wrath, God's patience delays His wrath, God's wrath, God's wrath at the cross, Is anger a sin?, Reasons why God gets angry, Should believers get angry?, The reasons for God's wrath, The Wrath of God, What does the Bible say about God's anger?, What does the Bible say about God's wrath?, why does God get angry?, why God gets angry, Wrath at the cross | 4 Comments

Babylonianism

Posted on October 16, 2018 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Babylonianism is a philosophy of human autonomy. It is a system of values that start and end with man, and is embraced by the vast majority of people who assign no serious thought of God to their discussions, plans, or projects, and who seek to use His resources independently of His wishes. Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Worldview, Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Living by Faith, Righteous Living | Tagged Babylon is the birthplace of organized religion, Babylonian values, Babylonianism, Babylonianism is a philosophy of human autonomy, Living in Babylon, Satan's world system, The great harlot, The land of Shinar, The tower of Babel, What is Babylonianism? | 3 Comments

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