Not many use the term pugnacious today. Looking at just the word itself, if I didn’t know any better, I’d guess it referred to possessing a tenacious love for the dog breed pug (pug + tenacious = pugnacious). Apart from my own nonsense, pugnacious is indeed a biblical term. “Pugnacious” is the NASB’s translation of… Read More »
We must contend for the faith. Jude commands us, “Contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). But we must not be contentious. Speaking on head coverings, Paul gave a prohibition against contentiousness that applies to any situation: “If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no… Read More »
Referring to Paul’s writings on the patience of the Lord and the coming day of God, Peter stated, “Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand”… Read More »
Wouldn’t it be great if every pastor could look back at his ministry and say as Paul did to the Ephesian elders, “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day… serving the Lord with all humility” (Acts 20:18–19). That’s amazing—serving with all humility. Paul commands humility of every… Read More »
“Time Is Like the Unseen Wind” From Meditations in Ecclesiastes David Huffstutler April 26, 2023 Time is like the unseen wind, a sigh for each past day… The present is soon blown behind, never here to stay. Memories of the things I knew, a kite sometimes held high… Other things that I eschew, the… Read More »
Imagine trying to give a posthumous goodbye to someone you deeply loved after that person died from murder, an accident, or an overdose from illegal drugs. Imagine slowly saying goodbye to a loved one who is dying from incurable disease. Imagine trying to formulate a goodbye to a spouse who suddenly ends your marriage by… Read More »
Does the Bible allow us to appeal to others to affirm the truthfulness of our words? Can we ask for a witness when our reputation is on the line? We know that witnesses can be used to verify sin (Matt 18:16; 2 Cor 13:1; 1 Tim 5:19; cf. Deut 19:15–21), but what about righteousness instead?… Read More »
Ambitious to be like God, Adam and Eve partook of forbidden fruit (Gen 3:1–7). Ambitious to be like God, Satan asked Jesus to worship him (Matt 4:9). Ambitious to be like God, man denies his God and seeks abomination instead (Ps 14:1–3). Even as Christians, unholy ambition remains latent inside and lurks deep within our… Read More »
From my personal Bible reading today (I currently use a Reformation Heritage Study Bible KJV): Proverbs 24:17–18 (KJV): 17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: 18 Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him. I see… Read More »
In speaking to servants in 1 Peter 2:18–25, Peter says much to everyone about suffering unjustly. Specifically, servants are to be subject and respectful toward their masters and even to the ones who treat them unjustly (1 Pet 2:18, 20). Generally, whether one has an earthly master or not, every Christian should respect all people,… Read More »