Sermons and Biblical Studies

by Mike Ford (1955-2021) Forerunner, December 1993 A recent popular cartoon showed a group of sheep at a party. One of them, the hostess, says to another, “Henry! Our party's total chaos! No one knows when to eat, where to stand, what to. . . .” Then the door opens and a dog walks into … Continue reading “The Shepherd’s Voice”

by Richard T. Ritenbaugh Forerunner, December 1993 Over a lifetime, everyone does something good or righteous that seems to go unrewarded. Many pour their lives into doing God's work, yet see little or no fruit from their efforts. Some have even felt their lives took a turn for the worse after giving their all for … Continue reading “Elijah’s Dose of Reality”

by Staff Forerunner, "Ready Answer," December 1993 Our Savior's deepest desire is that we, as members of His church and ultimately members of His Family, all become one, just as He and our Father are one. In His prayer before His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus voiced that wish intensely five times (John … Continue reading “‘By What Every Joint Supplies’”

by John W. Ritenbaugh Forerunner, "Personal," November 1993 Before becoming the sixteenth president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, whose integrity is legendary, made a speech against the advice of friends. Largely because of that speech, he lost the 1858 election to the Senate. But he said, “If it is decreed that I go down … Continue reading “Are Your Beliefs Preferences or Convictions?”

by Martin G. Collins Forerunner, "Prophecy Watch," November 1993 The second ever “Parliament of the World's Religions” met in Chicago from August 28 to September 5, 1993, “to promote and encourage religious tolerance and interfaith cooperation.” Participants formally signed “The Global Ethic,” a code of ethics for the world's religions, condemning environmental abuses, sexual discrimination, … Continue reading “Ecumenism or ‘Mystery Babylon’?”

by Richard T. Ritenbaugh Forerunner, November 1993 After several months of collecting possible names for our magazine, we have finally chosen Forerunner. Many thanks to all of you who suggested possible titles, but we could only choose one. We knew how important a name is—that its impact should be positive, progressive, thought-provoking and descriptive of … Continue reading “New Name – Same Teaching!”

by John O. Reid (1930-2016) Forerunner, November 1993 When our children were very young, I wanted to protect them as much as I could from the world around them. I can recall taking my son to a department store rest room where he read to me what was written on the stall wall. I thought, … Continue reading “Toys as Tools”

by John W. Ritenbaugh Forerunner, "Personal," September 1993 Questions about what God is have been debated, sometimes violently, since men began searching for God. Obviously, we cannot see God, but if He has described Himself in the pages of the Bible, why should what He is be so difficult to fathom? Why argue about what … Continue reading “God Is . . . What?”

by Richard T. Ritenbaugh Forerunner, "Prophecy Watch," September 1993 One of baseball's fundamental rules is three outs end an inning. If the Western world were a baseball team, the side is just about retired. This century has seen three world wars. Three? Yes. The first two world wars have been hot wars—shooting wars—both won by … Continue reading “Post-War Parallels”

by Mike Ford (1955-2021) Forerunner, "Ready Answer," September 1993 The apostle Peter warns us, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (I Peter 5:8). Why does Peter compare Satan the Devil to a lion? Why not a snake or an alligator or … Continue reading “Stalked by Satan”