Joe Barnett

From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. —John 1:16 A recently certified CPA set out to enlighten his immigrant father. “Dad, your business is a mess,” he said. “You have no inventory procedure. Your accounts-receivables are stuffed in a drawer. You don’t have a bookkeeping system. You have […]

The new creation has come.        —2 Corinthians 5:17 Evolutionists are stumped when asked when the next evolutionary step will occur: when will humanity evolve beyond what it presently is? The Christian view is that it has already happened. In Christ, a new kind of person has appeared: “If anyone is in Christ,

Christ died and returned to life.                  —Romans 14:9 I know nothing about the future—or even if there will be a future. I don’t know if human history is presently in ACT I or ACT III—whether our present times are in historical infancy or in old age. But

If we confess our sins . . . [God] will forgive us our sins.                      —1 John 1:9 Forgiveness must be accepted as well as offered. A person who admits no guilt senses no need for forgiveness. Approaching God with excuses, pleading “extenuating circumstances” is a

Repent and be baptized . . . for the forgiveness of your sins.                   —Acts 2:38 When John the Baptist came on the scene to prepare for the appearance of Jesus, his message was “Repent!” (Mt 3:2). When Jesus began his preaching career, his first sermon was

By prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.           —Philippians 4:6 A blind beggar shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “Lord, I want to see.” “Receive your sight,” said Jesus. Would the beggar properly

[Pilate] handed [Jesus] over to be crucified.                                 —Matthew 27:26 Neither Pilate nor Herod found any basis for the charges against Jesus. “He has done nothing to deserve death,” they said. “What crime has he done?” Pilate asked his accusers.

Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?”                                           —Ecclesiastes 7:10 The days of youth are days of danger, for temptations are strong, and wisdom is in short supply. But temptations are

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you.      —Isaiah 26:3 After the end of World War I, the League of Nations was created with the aim of maintaining world peace through negotiations, so that war would never again occur. World War II demonstrated that the League had failed, and it

Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.                   —James 2:23 When God told Abraham to take his son to Moriah and sacrifice him, what did Abraham do? Early the next morning, he got up and set out for Moriah (Gn 22:3). When Abraham