Psalm 51:17 states “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” This verse comes from King David’s psalm of repentance after his adultery with Bathsheba and arranging the death of her husband Uriah. David had sinned greatly, but he cried out to God with a repentant heart, asking for forgiveness and renewal. God honored David’s sincere repentance and desire to be cleansed from his sin. A “broken spirit” refers to a spirit that is grieved over sin, no longer prideful or rebellious against God. A “contrite heart” is one…
Author: Tim Collings
The Bible can provide great comfort during difficult times. Here are some key ways the Bible offers hope and peace when life gets hard: 1. God’s Presence One of the most comforting messages of the Bible is that God is always with us, even in the darkest valley. Numerous verses affirm God’s promise to be present with His people through every circumstance (Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:9, Psalm 23:4, Psalm 139:7-10, Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 28:20, John 14:16-18, Hebrews 13:5). He is an ever-present help in times of trouble. We are never alone because God is always by our side. 2. God’s…
The Bible has a lot to say about whether or not we should worship Jesus. To properly understand this topic, we first need to understand who Jesus is according to the scriptures. The Bible teaches that Jesus is the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity. He is fully God and fully man (John 1:1, 14). As the Son of God, Jesus is divine and worthy of our worship. Here are some key biblical reasons why we should worship Jesus: Jesus claimed equality with God – In John 5:17-18 Jesus claimed God as His Father, making Himself equal…
The command from God to Adam and Eve to “be fruitful and multiply” first appears in Genesis 1:28, when God blessed them and told them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” This command came right after God created Adam and Eve in His own image and placed them in the Garden of Eden. It was one of the first instructions God gave to humankind. So what did God mean…
Marriage is a sacred union ordained by God between a man and a woman. The Bible provides foundational truths about marriage that serve as an invaluable guide for married couples. Here is an overview of some of the key biblical principles concerning marriage: Marriage was instituted by God The Bible makes it clear that marriage was established by God at creation, before the fall of man. Genesis 2:24 states, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Marriage is part of God’s original design for human…
The phrase “before the foundation of the world” is used several times in the Bible, particularly in the New Testament. It refers to the time before God created the heavens and the earth, before sin entered the world. Understanding what the Bible teaches about this time period can help us gain perspective on God’s eternal plan of salvation and His sovereignty over all things. Here are some key points about what the Bible says regarding before the foundation of the world: God’s plan for salvation was determined before the foundation of the world. Bible verses such as Ephesians 1:4 and…
The biblical flood account found in Genesis 6-9 has often been compared to other ancient flood accounts, with some claiming the biblical account was derived from earlier myths and legends. However, while there are some similarities, there are also crucial differences that show the biblical account stands apart. Here is an in-depth look at the evidence: Ancient Near Eastern Flood Accounts The most commonly discussed extra-biblical flood accounts come from the Ancient Near East, particularly Mesopotamia. These include: The Sumerian Eridu Genesis (ca. 1600 BC) – which mentions the god Enki warning the hero Ziusudra about a coming flood so…
Christianity traces its origins to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ in ancient Judea in the 1st century AD. Jesus was a Jewish preacher who taught a message of salvation, repentance, love and forgiveness. Here is an overview of the key events and figures that led to the birth of Christianity as a major world religion: The Life of Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is the central figure of Christianity. Jesus was born around 4 BC in Bethlehem to Mary and Joseph. According to the Gospels, Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and was the son…
Jesus Christ is undoubtedly one of the most influential figures in human history. More than 2 billion people today identify as Christians, following the teachings of Jesus recorded in the Bible. But who was this Jesus who lived 2,000 years ago? What do we actually know about the historical person behind the religion that bears his name? According to the Gospel accounts in the New Testament, Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the reign of King Herod the Great. His mother was Mary, who was a virgin when she conceived Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18-25;…
In 1 Peter 2:4-5, the apostle Peter uses the metaphor of “living stones” to describe Jesus Christ and believers. This rich imagery conveys several important truths about the identity and purpose of Christ and Christians. Jesus as the Living Stone In verse 4, Peter writes, “As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious…” Here, Peter describes Jesus as the “living stone” upon which God is building His spiritual house, the church. This is an allusion to Old Testament passages like Isaiah 28:16 that speak of God laying a…