The Neglected One
A man that I met many years ago gave me this advice: “If you have trouble hearing the Lord, place both hands on the table and push.” In Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus addressed fasting. Simply stated, More →
Tag: Blog
Motive for Praying
Attitude, Blog, Brokenness, Erik Garthe, Fellowship, God, Hypocrite, Motive, Motive for Praying, No Longer Conformed, Prayer, Pretenders, Protection, Provision, Purpose, Relationships, Reputation
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Did Jesus oppose public prayer? His words in Matthew 6:5-15 address religious show business. Christianity is plagued by pretenders. There are hypocrites: “you must not be like the hypocrites,” i.e. the More →
Motive for Giving
Blog, Bragging, Character, Deception, Erik Garthe, Giving, Glory, Hypocrite, Motive, Motive for Giving, No Longer Conformed, Second Thoughts, Spiritual Disciplines, Tithing
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A person’s character is revealed when his motives are viewed for what they really are. The issue of Matthew 6:1-4 is motive for giving. Acts of worship are to be focused on God, not on gaining More →
Hard to Swallow
Attitude, Bitterness, Blog, Enemy, Erik Garthe, Gift, Give, Hard to Swallow, Injury, Kindness, love, No Longer Conformed, Obedience, Persecution, Prayer, Retaliation, Retribution, Revenge
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The law of revenge “lex talionis” dates to the Code of Hammurabi (1800’s BC); it sought the destruction of the wrongdoer. The Mosaic Law brought the principle of limiting retribution to what was just. Retaliation was limited to More →
Reliable Words
Blog, Deception, Erik Garthe, Integrity, No Longer Conformed, Oaths, Reliable, Reliable Words, Strength, Swear, Vows, Weakness, Words
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The Great Wall of China is 30 feet high, 18 feet thick, and over 1500 miles long. It was built to protect against invading barbarians, but was actually less secure than expected. At least three times, invading armies More →
About Divorce
About Divorce, Adultery, Blog, Covenant, Divorce, Erik Garthe, Failure, Maturity, No Longer Conformed, Permanency of Marriage, Reconciliation, Selfishness, Sexual Immorality, Single
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Marriage is a covenant that calls for maturity. Divorce is the enemy’s attack on God’s first institution, before the fall. And no-fault divorces opened the way for selfishness in today’s relationships. A successful marriage More →
Eyes and Hands
Adultery, Blog, Commitment, Erik Garthe, Eye, Eyes and Hands, Fornication, Grace, Hand, Heart, Lust, Marriage, Mercy, No Longer Conformed, Sexual Sin, Sin, Thoughts
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People underestimate their sin, feeling good they did not do something worse. Jesus made clear in Matthew 5:27-30 that the sin of the heart is as serious as the act itself. Not only is the act of adultery a sin, but More →
Anger Management
Anger, Anger Management, Blog, Contempt, Erik Garthe, Forgiveness, Grudges, Heart Condition, Hell, Insults, Judgment, Murder, No Longer Conformed, Relationships, Scorn, Vengeance, Worship, Wrath
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Did you know that murder is committed by many people every day without the person? Matthew 5:21-26 indicates that murder is not a self-produced event; it results from an anger process. Murder is More →
Law under Grace
Abolish, Affirmed, Biblical Authority, Blog, Ceremonial Law, Erik Garthe, Fulfill, God’s Word, Grace, Inerrancy, Inspiration, Judicial Law, Law, Law under Grace, love, Moral Law, No Longer Conformed, Obeyed, Valued
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Are Christians to keep the Old Testament law? Matthew 5:17-20 indicates that our faith is related to Jesus’ relationship to the law. First, Jesus Christ fulfilled the law—“I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (v. 17) Two words More →
Make a Difference
Ambassadors, Blog, Corruption, Direction, Erik Garthe, Glory, Influence, Make a Difference, No Longer Conformed, Salt
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What is our purpose in this world? Why are we not already in heaven? Paul answered that question in 2 Corinthians 5:20: “We are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.” Jesus words in Matthew 5:13-16 are about More →