Mary and Martha are classic characters. Their story resonates with so many people because it is so common. We find their examples in Luke 10:38-42. Jesus comes to their house and begins to teach. While there, Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to every word. Martha is running around the house trying to make everything ready, acceptable, and presentable. Eventually, Martha complains to Jesus and asks him to instruct Mary to help her. Jesus refuses. He tells Martha that she is anxious about many things but Mary has chosen the good things of life and they won’t be taken away from her.

There are many lessens we may learn here, but none of them are as powerful as the lesson of seeking Jesus first.

Have you ever thought about what Jesus is currently doing in heaven? He ascended there bodily after his resurrection (Acts 1). Later in Acts 7 as Stephen is being killed he sees Jesus standing in heaven. Later at Paul’s conversion Jesus appears to him in radiant light (Acts 9). Those visions generally summarize the standard sights of Jesus after his ascension in the New Testament.

So, is Jesus just sitting around in heaven waiting to return while occasionally appearing to people?

In our study of the Bible, we may not be prey, but we may be unsuspecting. By that I mean that we may not be aware of the cleverly disguised dangers lurking right in front of our eyes. For this reason, we should be keenly aware that we face traps every time we study the Bible.

What you believe about the Word of God determines what you believe about preaching. If your view of the Bible is relatively low then your view of preaching will be low. But, if you believe the Bible to be the very Word of the living God (2 Timothy 3:16), then you will value the act of preaching and prioritize its time.

Preaching is a strange event. It is public speaking, but not only public speaking. It involves the personality and gifts of the preacher, but the preacher is bound to a structure and method. It is a one-sided event, not a conversation. It is divine and spiritual, yet tangible and ordinary. It is one man explaining to many people something which he himself cannot fully understand. It is a moment of authority, but the preacher bears no authority himself. It is a mingling of the natural and the supernatural, the normal and the divine. It happens every week, but it is unique and special.

What is the purpose of preaching? There may be as many different answers given to that question as there are individuals asked. Everyone seems to have an idea, opinion, or expectation concerning the act of preaching. But what does the Bible say about it? Does it say anything at all? Does it matter how a man preaches or just what a man preaches?

Discipleship is not about forming people according to the molds we have in our minds. Discipleship is about regularly pointing to and exhorting others to follow the person of Jesus Christ. If we forget this great, central goal of discipleship, we will crack open the door to pride. Before we know it, we begin to think that we are engaged in Christian discipleship when in reality we are engaged in making people into better versions of ourselves.

What about a prayer meeting? Why is it important? Does it matter at all? Consider these few thoughts on prayer meetings.

Buyers’ remorse is a real phenomenon. I have experienced it. It usually happens in a moment of weakness – momentary lapse in self-control. A purchase is made out of irresponsible want rather than necessity. Upon making the purchase, regret immediately sets in and thus is born the wish for a do-over.

In a much more serious way, there is also something we might call spiritual remorse.

Long-term thinking is healthy thinking.

We have all heard the pleas to attend Bible Study, but have we ever considered why we should attend?

In short, they learned something about Jesus that they would not have known if Lazarus didn’t die.

There are people who say they have no regrets. I simply do not believe them.