Clarence L. Haynes Jr.

The Psalms contain some of the most beautifully written, beloved verses in all of Scripture. But before you dive in, allow us to give you some important context that will add richness to your study of the Psalms.

It's becoming more and more common these days. Parents who don't hear from children. Siblings who refuse to speak. Husbands and wives going their separate ways. But is this cutting of ties a worldly concept, or is it ever okay for Christians?

Visiting a church for the first time can be exciting, but it can also fill you with anxiety. You are walking into a building where chances are you don’t know anyone. Most of the time, you don’t know what to expect, and those first impressions will go a long way in determining your opinion of this church. Sometimes, the more well-known a church is, the higher your expectations of what that experience will be. 

Regardless of the size or type of church, there are some things churches do that drive new visitors crazy. I have been in churches for over 40 years. I have seen and experienced many things that turn people off and cause them to leave and not come back. For most churches, I don’t believe they do these things with malicious intent, but when they happen, instead of welcoming the new visitor back, it pushes them away.

When a person visits your church for the first time, one question they will answer for themselves is, would I be willing to come back again? You need to make sure the answer to that question is yes. One way to ensure that is by avoiding some of the things on this list.

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Difficult circumstances do not have to silence your worship. This devotional from Acts 16 reminds you that when you pray and praise God through trials, your faith can strengthen your own heart and point others to the hope of Christ.

Sometimes things come up: vacation, sickness, work, or other responsibilities. And while attending church, receiving instruction, and worshipping with other believers is crucial, is it necessary to go every single week? The answer to this question is not always clear, but it's important to look at your "why."

When life feels unfair, or your next steps seem uncertain, Psalm 73 invites you to enter God’s presence and regain perspective. This devotional reminds you that God can be trusted with your whole life, even when His plan has not yet become clear.

For two thousand years, we have been proclaiming that Jesus is coming again. Even though we don’t know the exact day or hour, we know we are one day closer to his return. I don’t know if Jesus will return in my lifetime or yours, but whether he does or doesn’t, we need to be ready for his appearing.

When you see the events happening in the world, his return could be sooner than we think. With that in mind, how can you make sure you are ready? Here are three questions you can ask yourself that can help you know where your heart is and if you are ready for Jesus to return.

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When the topic of the end times or last days comes up, many people respond with fear. I get it. When you read the events that will occur leading up to the second coming of Christ there is reason to fear, if you are on the wrong side. By the way, if you are in Christ you are not on the wrong side. That’s why you don’t need to be afraid.

In fact, you can look at these signs with great hope and expectation.

If you have looked at end times events through the lens of fear, then I want you to stop doing that. I want you to switch your thinking today...and change the way you look at end times events. I want to line up your faith and hope with the promise of Scripture. So let’s get started, because, I know you'd like some good news today. Here are five biblical reasons you can hold on to so you don’t have to be afraid about the end times:

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The Garden of Eden was Heaven on earth - at least until the Fall of Man. The Bible records that Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden, and an angel with a flaming sword was set to guard its entrance. But after that, we never hear about it again except in prophecy and reference to a time before the fall. So what happened to the Garden? Is it still out there somewhere, and if so, where is it?

 As we look at church today, is there a place for signs and wonders? Should we still be looking for them?

Communion is only for believers in Jesus Christ. The Bible does not say you must be baptized to receive communion, and I won’t say it either.

Before Jesus went to the cross, one of the last prayers he prayed was that we would be one. Obviously, he knew this would be a problem. Over two thousand years have passed since Jesus prayed that prayer. While the church has been a lot of things during that timeframe, unfortunately, being one has not always been one of those things.

The truth is we don’t feel to love, we will to love. If love was based on our feelings or emotions, then love would be unstable, unsteady, and unpredictable. Your love would change from day to day and moment to moment just as your emotions do. Since love is based on your will, that means whether you love someone is a matter of choice. 

There are plenty of Bible verses and stories about money, often focusing on those who are generous. But in this lesser-known parable, is Jesus angry at the rich man? As with all passages, it's important to look at the context. Let's see what Jesus is, and is not, saying in this story.