Theodore Epp
1904-1985 Theodore H. Epp was an American Christian clergyman, writer, and a radio evangelist. Epp was the founding director and speaker of the Back to the Bible broadcasts between 1939-1985, heard worldwide on eight hundred stations in eight languages.
Epp was born in Oraibi, Arizona, the son of Russian Mennonite immigrants. His parents were missionaries to the Hopi Indians there. After graduating from Oklahoma Bible Academy, Epp attended Hesston College, Hesston, Kansas and the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (now, Biola University), Epp received a ThM degree in 1932 from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.
He started his ministry as a pastor and radio preacher in Goltry, Oklahoma and then relocated to Lincoln, Nebraska, where he established the Back to the Bible radio program. It was first broadcast May 1, 1939, on a local station and was eventually syndicated as a daily, 30-minute program to more than 800 radio stations worldwide by the time of his retirement in 1985.
Epp wrote nearly 70 books and magazine articles.
| Devotional | A Believer Out of Place
1 Samuel 29
Now we can see how God delivered David from the dilemma sin had gotten him into in Gath. He must have been a troubled man when Achish told him that he and other Philistine princes were going against Israel.
But when those princes came, they were alarmed and indignant to find Hebrews in the army of Achish. They said, "What do the ...read |
| Devotional | A Glimpse That Strengthens
Job 1:6-11
In the first two chapters of the Book of Job, God gives us a look behind the scenes so that we can see events on earth from the standpoint of heaven.
There is no doubt that if Job could have seen into the councils of heaven before and during his trial, he would have answered his friends quite differently. But God did not allow him ...read |
| Devotional | A Matter of Life and Death!
James 3:1-6
Consider four parallels that a fire has with words spoken by the tongue: It hurts, it spreads, it consumes, but it can have a good use under control.
It only takes one false or bitter word to hurt deeply. In fact, the hurt may be so deep that recovery is impossible.
Just as fire spreads, so do spoken words. Some people are alwa ...read |
| Devotional | A Mighty Man Falls
1 Kings 19:1-8
Elijah traveled on foot about 95 miles to the southern border of Judah. Then he went another day's journey into the wilderness.
By that time he was completely exhausted. He had remarkable physical strength and endurance, but he had extended himself to the breaking point.
He had first prepared for the "showdown" with the p ...read |
| Devotional | A Misplaced Confidence
2 Samuel 24:1-14; 1 Chronicles 21:1
This last attack of Satan upon David took place about 38 years after David had ascended the throne and about two years before his death.
Satan was successful for a brief time in enticing David into sin, which should remind us all that we are never free from being tested. At the same time we can have God's ...read |
| Devotional | A Secret Believer
1 Kings 18:1-7
As Elijah, in obedience to God's command, set out to meet Ahab, he saw that the famine was very severe in Samaria, one of the areas ruled by Ahab and inhabited by the Israelite people.
Apparently it extended beyond Ahab's kingdom, but Samaria seemed to be getting the brunt of it. This, of course, was in line with God's judgm ...read |
| Devotional | A Sin unto Death
1 John 5:14-21
We do not always know whether a Christian's sin is unto death; for that reason my own suggestion is that we should be sure to pray for such a person if we are in doubt.
If we see that God is not going to answer, it could be that the person prayed for has committed a sin unto death. But I will continue to pray for such a person ...read |
| Devotional | Added, Not Mixed
Galatians 3:15-25
The passage before us says that the Law "was added" (Gal. 3:19). It was added to something already existing. John the Baptist introduced our Lord to the public and said of Him, "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."
The Law had a definite beginning. It began not with Adam but with Moses. ...read |
| Devotional | Balanced-and Blessed!
Philippians 2:12-14; Jeremiah 6:9-15
Every Christian needs to work out his salvation with a tender conscience and a watchfulness against temptations, trials or testings, shrinking from whatever might offend God or discredit His name.
Each of us needs to seriously consider whether or not there is something in our lives that is discrediting the ...read |
| Devotional | Be Cautious When You Criticize
Romans 14:10-13
When we realize that each of us must give an account to God, it will cause us to be more cautious about criticizing a Christian brother.
We will then heed what 1 Corinthians 4:5 says: "So do not make any hasty or premature judgments before the time when the Lord comes [again], for He will both bring to light the secret things ...read |
| Devotional | Beware of False Peace!
Colossians 3:13-17
We must beware of false peace. Some who do wrong may have a peace about it, but it does not come from God. As someone has said, "Peace of heart alone is not always the peace of God."
A significant test to apply to determine the origin of the peace is this: If I have peace in my heart about a matter, do I also have peace w ...read |
| Devotional | Boasting That Brings Blessing!
Galatians 6:11-18
It is remarkable to realize that the crucifixion is a way of life, not just a way of death. Christ's crucifixion was not the end of His redemptive work, for He arose from the grave and provided us with the resurrection life.
Romans 6:7 says, "But he that is dead [has died] is freed from sin." This means that the person wh ...read |
| Devotional | Born Free!
Galatians 4:19-31
The lesson God has for us in Galatians 4:19-31 is that we cannot ever fulfill the commandments of God by our own human efforts. They can be kept only as we accept Christ as Saviour.
Then, through the indwelling Spirit, the life of Christ is fulfilled in us.
The bringing of Ishmael into the world was all of man's planning ...read |
| Devotional | Bypassing Death
2 Kings 2:1-11
The closing incident in Elijah's life was perhaps the most touching in his whole history. He was translated to heaven without having to die.
His ministry may have covered 15 or 20 years, but the public aspect of it was much briefer than that.
At a time of great depression in his life, when lying under a juniper tree, he had ...read |
| Devotional | Can You Claim This Promise?
Philippians 4:17-20
Philippians 4:19 cannot be understood apart from the preceding verses. Some Christians have claimed verse 19 but have not met the conditions of the preceding verses; therefore, they are unwarranted in expecting God to keep His promise of verse 19.
And when they see that God has not fulfilled what they consider to be a prom ...read |
| Devotional | Can You See Where You Are Going?
1 John 1:5-10
For a person to walk in the light requires that he first receive Christ as personal Saviour. The light of God's Word must first have enlightened that person's heart and convicted him of his sin.
That same light reveals to us the holiness of God and brings us to a reverential fear of Him, something foreign to the natural man ( ...read |
| Devotional | Cast Your Vote for Victory!
Galatians 5:13-26
The flesh and the Holy Spirit are contrary one to the other. Their aims and purposes are diametrically opposed to each other. Each one says no to the other. They checkmate each other.
This, of course, results in a stalemate for the Christian. This is why the apostle says, "Ye cannot do the things that ye would" (Gal. 5:17) ...read |
| Devotional | Cast Your Vote for Victory!
Galatians 5:13-26
The flesh and the Holy Spirit are contrary one to the other. Their aims and purposes are diametrically opposed to each other. Each one says no to the other. They checkmate each other.
This, of course, results in a stalemate for the Christian. This is why the apostle says, "Ye cannot do the things that ye would" (Gal. 5:17) ...read |
| Devotional | Character Comes First
Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1: 13-21
There is much talk today about "working for Christ" but little about "being like Christ."
Being like Christ means more than just following Him as a good teacher or example; it refers to the believer's being molded into the image of Jesus Christ. This is accomplished only as the believer yields to the work ...read |
| Devotional | Charge and Countercharge
1 Kings 18:17-19
The monarch's first words were "Art thou he that troubleth Israel?" (1 Kings 18:17). I am not sure how Ahab said that, but I have a feeling he was shaking in his boots.
He was standing before a man who had been in the presence of God. Though Ahab could say to his servants, "You do this and do that," and though he was sur ...read |
