Entries by Philip Holder

The Resurrection: A Belief That Matters

“How do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?” (1 Corinthians 15:12).
Without the truth of bodily resurrection, the Christian faith would not make sense.
Even though Paul and the other apostles made the resurrection of Christ and His followers from the dead a central part of the gospel message, some new Gentile converts (the Corinthians especially) had difficulty accepting the idea of bodily resurrection.

Growing In Wisdom

“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Growing in wisdom means growing in Christlikeness. Perhaps you’re asking, “Shouldn’t believers acquire more wisdom?” Yes, we should. No matter how much of God’s wisdom we have, we should always hunger for more. The Bible tells us that we […]

Being Wise in Adversity

“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom” (James 3:13). Wisdom teaches us how to handle adversity. In his wonderful commentary on the book of James, Robert Johnstone wrote the following about meekness: That “the meek” should “inherit the earth”—that they bear […]

Be Filled With the Spirit

“Be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). God wants every aspect of the believer’s being to be under the complete control of the Holy Spirit. Pleroo, the basic Greek word for “be filled,” offers three shades of meaning that illustrate what Paul’s command to be Spirit-filled means. First, the word describes the pressure of wind […]

Finding True Contentment

“To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). True contentment is found only in Christ. There has never been a society in the history of the world that has had as many commodities as Americans have. We are living in affluence that is unheard of in the world’s history. The […]

Integrity Means No Compromise!

“O Lord, who may abide in Thy tent? Who may dwell on Thy holy hill? He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart” (Psalm 15:1-2). To love Christ and to be characterized by ever-increasing fidelity to biblical truth is the heart of true integrity. Christian integrity has been defined […]

Be Not Surprised

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12). We can be certain of God’s love for us, no matter how unexpected or difficult any trial might be. Reassuring words are vital as we […]

SATAN IS DEFEATED

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7) The more real Satan appears in our day, the more precious the victory of Christ will become to those who believe him.The New Testament teaches that when Christ died and rose again Satan was defeated. A time of limited freedom is granted to him, […]

WALKING IN OBEDIENCE

His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” John 2:5 NASB Jesus performed His first miracle at a wedding celebration. When the wine ran out, his mother said to the servants: “Whatever He says to you, do it.” (John 2:5) Our obedience opens the door to see God’s power manifested […]

TWO INFINITELY STRONG AND TENDER TRUTHS

Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.” (Isaiah 46:10) The word “sovereignty” (like the word “trinity”) does not occur in the Bible. We use it to refer to this truth: God is in ultimate control of […]