What it Takes to be A Man After God’s Own Heart
Posted by Philip Strong | Categories: Choices, Forgiveness, 2 Samuel, Psalms
How could King David have Lusted, Committed Adultery, Lied, and Murdered and still be a Man After God's Own Heart? Take a look and see.
Confronting Sin
Posted by Philip Strong | Categories: Repentance, 2 Samuel, Matthew, 2 Corinthians
We all must confront our sin. We can do this voluntarily through the proper working of our conscience, or someone else can help us by bringing our sins before us to confront. Failing these confrontations with our violations of God's will now, He will confront us with our sins on the day of judgment. We all will, one way or another, confront our sins or be confronted by them. The real questions then become: (1) How will we confront our sins; and (2) will we successful? This lesson details some keys to being successful in confronting our sins now, so that we will not be forced to suffer their consequences in judgment.
Solomon and Rahab
Posted by Philip Strong | Categories: Faith, Obedience, Joshua, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Hebrews
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a character of the Old Testament? If such were possible, and you could be either "Solomon" or "Rahab," which would you choose? "Let's see....the wealthiest and wisest king of Israel, or a heathen prostitute- which to choose?" I know it sounds ridiculous, but think about it in these terms: "Of these two, which one is listed in the 'Hall of Faith' in Hebrews 11?" And perhaps just as importantly, "Why is she there, and not him?"
Forgiveness
Posted by Philip Strong | Categories: Choices, Fidelity, 2 Samuel, Matthew, Luke, Ephesians, Hebrews, James, 1 John
Have you ever hurt someone you loved really badly? I don't necessarily mean physically, but don't really mean to exclude it either. But have you hurt them and didn't even really know why you did what you did? There was no good reason or even a justifiable excuse for it? And then you realized that the only way that the relationship, whatever it was, could possibly be sustained was to throw yourself completely and totally at their mercy and beg forgiveness? If so, then you understand much about "forgiveness"!
Immorality 7
Posted by Philip Strong | Categories: Choices, Commitment, Fidelity, Immorality, 2 Samuel
This is the last lesson of the series. It examines the narrative of Amnon and his half-sister Tamar from 2Samuel 13. In the story, Tamar rapes his sister- thereby destroying her personal purity as well as his own. But the lesson also seeks to identify warning signs of treachery in order to help us better identify and avoid them.
“Free” and “Easy” Salvation?
Posted by Philip Strong | Categories: Salvation, 2 Samuel, Luke, 1 Peter
All of my life, I’ve heard people talk about salvation as being something that was free for the taking, and easy to attain. One of their favorite words seemed to be “just”- as in, “If you will just do this”, or “just believe this,” or “just feel this way in your heart.” These concepts bother me somewhat in light of what the New Testament as a whole teaches. But...
Page 1 of 1 pages