When a person places faith in the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ as their only means of salvation, they are saved (John 3:14-19, 36; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:28; Romans 4:5; Galatians 2:16; John 5:24; Acts 16:30-31; Titus 3:5). At the moment of salvation, a person receives the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9; Titus 3:5-6; … Continue reading The Fruits of Saving Faith
Jesus
Who Is The Final Authority?
When someone goes to a restaurant, they want to see a smile on the waitress's face. They desire a server who is friendly, professional, clean, knowledgeable about the menu, and quick to notice that drinks are running low. Now, instead of a waitress coming to your table to take your order, here comes the dishwasher. … Continue reading Who Is The Final Authority?
Signs of Backsliding
The story of the Prodigal Son is the go-to story of a backslider in the Bible. The man demands his inheritance early. Dad gives it to him, and he is off to the party life. Wine, woman, and song become the norm. Eventually, the money runs out, and the fellow finds himself working on a … Continue reading Signs of Backsliding
Podcast Episode: Faith, Prophecy, And Calling
A summary of Preacher's Points that were posted during the last 30 days. Pip: Forty-one years of Sunday sermons, a mortgage burning, and a creek too cold for baptism — Preacher's Point has had a month. Mara: preacherspoint covers a lot of ground this episode: what the church's anniversary reveals about calling, where current events … Continue reading Podcast Episode: Faith, Prophecy, And Calling
The Fulfilling of Prophecy
I love having conversations with people. I love talking to people about what they believe; not just about God and religion, but what they believe about any subject, which team will win the World Series, who they are going to vote for, what their dream car is, their favorite meal, and so on. Regardless of … Continue reading The Fulfilling of Prophecy
Peter’s Conversion
The most significant thing Peter did during his three years being discipled by Jesus was not walking on water, it was a statement he made. One day, Jesus asked the Apostles about who other people thought He was. They responded that some people thought he was John the Baptist risen from the dead or one … Continue reading Peter’s Conversion
The Creation
Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” These are the first words of the Holy Bible. More than a statement, I believe this is God’s great take-it-or-leave-it verse, setting up the rest of Scripture. The reason Genesis 1:1 sets up the rest of Scripture is that God wants us to … Continue reading The Creation
The Importance of the Cross
About once a quarter, our local fairgrounds hosts a "Vendors and Yard Sale Day," where both professionals and locals rent spaces to sell their items. Our church will often acquire space at these events. We don’t sell a thing; we give things away. In December, we gave away ten different styles of tree ornaments that … Continue reading The Importance of the Cross
Who Is Jesus?
Easter is less than two weeks away. For some families, it's a significant day with morning church services and often new clothes for the event. For many, it is the only day they attend church, aside from possibly Christmas. For others, it is just another Sunday. I am always encouraging people to know what they … Continue reading Who Is Jesus?
The Acceleration Of Ezekiel 38
Since Israel became a nation again in 1948, Ezekiel 38 has been one of the most discussed and written about prophecies in the Bible. Building on this, Ezekiel 38 describes a coming invasion of Israel by (using modern names) Russia, Iran, Ethiopia, Sudan, Libya, and Turkey. In Biblical language, Gomer is also mentioned, but scholars … Continue reading The Acceleration Of Ezekiel 38