When God gave Abraham his great victory over the King of Elam, he was met on his return by an enigmatic figure, a priest, by the name of Melchizedek. What is of special interest about …
The Grace to Die Well
(This article was written by Ronald L. Dart in the 1980’s) When it comes my turn to die—and it will come—I hope that God will give me the grace to die well. I know I …
A Christian Harvest Festival
One of the great losses to the nominal Christian faith was the abandonment of the holy days of the Bible—their dismissal as merely Jewish institutions. And surely, one of the greatest of the Christian holy …
Keeping the Sabbath Holy
Just what does it mean to keep the Sabbath? What should a person do on that day? Or, as some prefer to ask, what should a person not do? Can you work at your normal …
The YEA Advantage
When CEM was initially started, we added to our Constitution and By-Laws that our goal was to create and publish literature to teach our youth the Word of God—our beliefs and traditions. Previously, no one …
Reconciled to God (Revisited)
Not long ago, in a discussion that followed a worship service, the conversation made its way to Judgment Day. Much to my surprise, three ministers in the group felt that because they had repented of …
Is There Really a Hell Fire?
Is there really an ever–burning hell where sinners are tormented with fire and brimstone throughout all eternity? Is it only for the very wicked? What about the “unsaved”? The Bible tells us there is only …
Law or Grace?: Serving God Acceptably
It had been a hard three days. David and the handful of young men with him had left in a hurry and had taken no food. By the time they got to a place called …
Which Old Testament Laws Apply for Today?
If Jesus told you not to think something, would you believe Him? Or would you continue to suppose that something were true when Jesus told you plainly it was not? For example, if Jesus said, …
What You Need to Know About Spiritual Gifts
What actually happens at the moment you receive a spiritual gift? Do you get a little buzz when it comes? Perhaps a rush? On the day of Pentecost, there was a sound like a rushing …
Charitable Giving
From the beginning, Christian Educational Ministries established helping others as a cornerstone of our foundational philosophy. Chances are, helping others is important to you as well. You probably already share your blessings with others by …
Would You Join a Cult?
“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from you own steadfastness.” In the aftermath of the tragedy in Waco–so …
Would God Harden Your Heart?
Why did God harden Pharaoh’s heart? When I taught Old Testament Survey class, we could never get through this section of Exodus without a lively discussion on this question. Did Pharaoh have a choice in …
Nine Things to Consider Before Giving to a Ministry or Church
Dear Friend, Any religious organization, be it a television ministry or a local church, depends on donations to survive. And so they all engage in some kind of fund raising effort to make ends meet. …
Why Do We Sell (Some of) Our Materials?
It is not a frequent question, but sometimes people ask, Why do you charge for some of your CDs? The answer is simple enough. We charge for them so we can make them available. But …
Truth, Doctrine, and Policy
Along with the marvelous teachings of Jesus, we often pick up some very bad ideas from our churches and organizations. One of the worst of these ideas, all too common in churches, is that our …
Who Rules the Church?
Was it Jesus’ intent to create a hierarchy of human government over the individual Christian? Does the Christian ministry sit in Moses’ seat for the church? This article explains what you always wanted to know …
Speaker’s Corner
Introduction Welcome. Over the years I have often been asked the equivalent of What’s your secret for public speaking? And I have been badgered to hold seminars or workshops in public speaking and sermons. The …
The Prayer Lady
I was on the hospital gurney, buck naked except for one of those flimsy hospital gowns. As a nurse was preparing me for my procedures, an elderly woman, bent from age, peaked in the doorway. …
Knock Three Times
I’m not much into numerology, and I think E. W. Bullinger’s list of the significance of numbers is somewhat fanciful. That said, there is something I’ve wondered about for rather a long time. It has …