William Stewart – Page 2

06 Jul

Counterfeit Christianity

BEYOND THE BASICS ARTICLE | William Stewart | Odessa, Ontario

Caveat emptor is an old maxim regarding the acquisition of goods. It is Latin for “let the buyer beware.” Charlatans and swindlers are always ready to take advantage of unsuspecting patrons. If we are not careful (and sometimes even when we thought we were careful) we can be cheated by forgeries and bogus items, whether it be artwork, sports memorabilia, clothing, electronics, nutritional supplements, or even food products. The prevalence of online shopping today has opened a massive opportunity for con artists to dupe buyers. Indeed, caveat emptor! Read More →

06 Apr

Worshipping with a Renewed Spirit

WORSHIP/DEVOTIONAL ARTICLE | William Stewart | Odessa, Ontario

via Fotorech | Pixabay.com

John 4:24 / Ephesians 4:23

A midday break in the city of Syrchar as Jesus and His apostles journeyed from Judea to Galilee resulted in a significant conversation. So weighty were the matters discussed that the Holy Spirit had John record it for all future would-be worshippers. Jesus made a powerful observation, stating: “The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24). Read More →

29 Oct

Using Video and Live Streaming for Evangelism

EVANGELISM ARTICLE | William Stewart | Odessa, Ontario

In January 2020, prior to Covid-19 exploding into a worldwide pandemic, we ran an article focused on Web-Based Evangelism. We emphasized the importance for local churches to have an online presence, highlighting ways to make ourselves visible in a web-focused world. We had no idea how timely the article would be. Within a couple of months, much of the world was under lockdown conditions to curtail the spread of the coronavirus. The extent to which things closed differed from region to region, but things changed everywhere – including our worship assemblies. Read More →

07 Jul

Effective Fervent Prayer

EXPOSITORY ARTICLE | William Stewart | Odessa, Ontario

There are several occasions in Scripture where Old Testament people and events are used to provide lessons about faith in the New Testament. For example, the circumstances in Elijah’s life as recorded in 1 Kings 17-18 are the backdrop for a great lesson prayer in James 5.

In 1 Kings 17:1, Elijah foretold a drought which would come. However, James tells us he prayed for the drought (James 5:17). Why would he pray for a drought? It was a punishment upon the people of Israel for their sins (1 Kings 16:33; Deuteronomy 28:22, 24). It should have persuaded them to repent. Three and a half years later, we read of Elijah’s showdown with the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel. God was faithful, giving his prophet victory over the false prophets of Baal. As a result, the people’s hearts turned back to the Lord (1 Kings 18:37-40). Thus, it was time for Elijah to pray for the rains to return. Notice from 1 Kings 18… Read More →

07 Jul

Effective Bible Classes: The Teacher’s Responsibilities

CHURCH ARTICLE | William Stewart | Odessa, Ontario

via ulrichw | Pixabay.com

“…the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2)

The apostle Paul urged Timothy to teach others so they could teach others, who could teach others, and so on. Teaching God’s word is important, and doing so effectively is essential. No matter what the venue, whether it is a kitchen table or a lecture hall, we want to be successful teachers. Herein we will focus on ways for teachers to make their Bible classes the best possible learning environment. Read More →

07 Apr

The Scripture Cannot Be Broken

BEYOND THE BASICS | William Stewart | Odessa, Ontario

Jesus entered the temple during Hanukkah (John 10:22) and was accosted by the Jewish leaders about whether He was the Christ or not. They demanded, “If you are the Christ, tell us plainly” (John 10:24). He had not been ambiguous about His identity. There were two problems at play here. First, the religious leaders did not believe (John 10:25-26). Second, since they had failed to seize Him and put Him to death on previous occasions (John 5:17-18; 8:58-59), they sought another opportunity against Him.

After a short discourse in which He contrasted the unbelief of the Jewish rulers with the faith of His disciples, He affirmed, “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30). This phrase sent them into a frenzy. They took up stones, ready to put Jesus to death (John 10:31). What was the charge? They explained, “…for blasphemy, and because you, being a Man, make Yourself God” (John 10:33).

Jesus appealed to the Scriptures to defend His claim as the Son of God. His response relied upon the inerrancy of the Scriptures. Read More →

07 Jan

What Does The Term “Worship” Really Mean?

WORSHIP/DEVOTIONAL ARTICLE | William Stewart | Odessa, Ontario

via StockSnap | Pixabay.com

A myriad of writers through the years have penned much literature on the topic of worship. If one were to compile all the “worship is” statements obtainable, an exhaustive volume would no doubt be the result. So, we might inquire, “Why, after all the effort put forth by men and women through the years, do we yet again embark on a discourse about the meaning of worship?” Quite simply, it is good to be reminded of the things which we already know, and perhaps to be made aware of some things we have not known. The more we study and learn about the worship which our God is due, the greater our appreciation and more devoted our service will be. Read More →

07 Jan

Web-Based Evangelism

EVANGELISM ARTICLE | William Stewart | Odessa, Ontario

via Azam Kamolov | Pixabay.com

“The only constant is change.” This axiom has been attributed to the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, though it is likely a variation on his much simpler yet equally perceptive observation, “Everything changes.”₁ The point is clear – we live in a world that is always changing. John F. Kennedy said much the same thing in a speech on June 25, 1963 at the Assembly Hall (Paulskirche) in Frankfurt, Germany. He affirmed, “Change is the law of life. And those who look to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”₂

Kennedy’s remark is wonderfully astute. There is nothing wrong with fondly remembering the past and certainly we must live in the present, however, if we do not prepare for the future, we will find ourselves left behind. Read More →

01 Oct

Balaam – The Prophet For Profit

EXPOSITORY ARTICLE | William Stewart | Odessa, Ontario

In Numbers 21, we follow the children of Israel as they make their approach towards the promised land. The writer gives a lengthy list of sites where they camped. Their journey was not without event. Passing through the Negev, they were attacked by the king of Arad (21:1). Coming to the territory of Sihon the Amorite, Israel asked permission to pass through on the King’s Highway. Not only did he refuse to allow passage, but he fought against them (21:21-23). And finally, coming to Bashan, they were attacked by Og and his forces (21:33). As troubling as all this could have been, the Lord gave His people victory over every enemy who rose against them (21:3, 24, 35). These events serve as the backdrop to the story of Balaam. Read More →

02 Apr

ELIJAH – A Man With A Nature Like Ours

EXPOSITORY ARTICLE | William Stewart | Odessa, Ontario, Canada

Elijah is the most memorable of the prophets during the early days of the divided kingdom. There were others before him, but they came and went quickly and with little fanfare. However, we have substantial detail about portions of Elijah’s work beginning in 1 Kings 17 and ending in 2 Kings 2. Additionally, he is referenced thirty times in the New Testament, which is more than any other Old Testament prophet (except Moses).

One of the first things I am prone to do when studying an individual in the Bible is to look at the meaning of their name. Often we will find something significant. Elijah’s name does not disappoint. His name in Hebrew is ‘Eliyah, which is a combination of two vital Hebrew words – Elohiym (God) and Yahweh (Jehovah). Without even opening his mouth, the prophet declared, “Jehovah is God.” Read More →