Jesus Said No

ByJoshua Riggins

In Luke 12:13-15, we read the following account, 

“Then one from the crowd said to Him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’ But he said to him, ‘Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?’ And he said to them, ‘Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.’”

Jesus, who would rebuke the disciples for not letting the little children take up his time, would not arbitrate between this man and his brother. Plainly, he told this man, “No.” The Son of God did not have time to deal with this situation of the flesh.

The Barren Fig Tree

ByJoshua Riggins

Mark 11:12-14, 20-24(also recorded in Matthew 21:18-22) presents an interesting event in Christ’s life. As morning came, Jesus was hungry. He saw a tree of opportunity and availed himself with the hope of satisfying the body’s needs. The fig was known for its sweet fruit (Judges 9:11), and so was a popular fruit among the people. …

The Barren Fig Tree

ByJoshua Riggins

Mark 11:12-14, 20-24(also recorded in Matthew 21:18-22) presents an interesting event in Christ’s life. As morning came, Jesus was hungry. He saw a tree of opportunity and availed himself with the hope of satisfying the body’s needs. The fig was known for its sweet fruit (Judges 9:11), and so was a popular fruit among the…

What’s in a Name?

ByJoshua Riggins

Ecclesiastes 7:1 begins, “A good name is better than precious ointment…” The wise Preacher states that a good name is better than costly cleansers or perfumes for the body. What, though, does he mean by a good name? While I would like to think we gave our children good names — names that just roll…

The Virgin Birth

ByJoshua Riggins

“And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy–the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth…

Prince of Peace

ByJoshua Riggins

Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they…

Obedience to the Creator

ByJoshua Riggins

Do you truly believe that, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth?” (Genesis 1:1). God demands from the opening line of Scriptures that we acknowledge Him as designer and creator. It is not enough to think God set elements in motion that stirred up creation by evolutionary process. We cannot have faith…

Without Complaining

ByJoshua Riggins

In Philippians 2:14 we read, “Do all things without complaining and disputing.” No action is left out of the purview of this command. All things are to be done without grumbling or arguing. However, complaining appears to be one of our favorite activities. As the weather turns from winter to spring we rotate our complaints…