Years ago, I played in a church basketball league. For this particular game, I had the keys to the building in which we were going to play. I arrived about two hours early. It had snowed about an inch and a half that day, and the parking lot had not yet been plowed. I parked … Continue reading What You Don’t Know Will Hurt You
Paul
The Fruits of Saving Faith
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
Church
Countryside Baptist celebrated its forty-first anniversary yesterday. The church started on the first Sunday of May 1985. Bill Howard was the original Pastor, and I came along ten years later. It was a wonderful day! We had a slideshow with pictures going all the way back to the beginning, presented gifts to the congregation, and … Continue reading Church
Life Changing Events
As I write this, I am three days from another birthday. When I look back on life, I can see God working in every part. We all go through life-changing events. Nearly everyone can include marriage, the birth of children, and grandchildren on the list. Still, I will set those aside for the moment and … Continue reading Life Changing Events
Why Did Christ Die?
Easter is approaching, and it is time to ask, "Why?" "Preacher, what do you mean, 'why?' Easter is the season when Christians celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ." Everyone has opinions, and with those opinions come reasons for those opinions. Even people with opposing opinions have reasons for their own beliefs. Example: … Continue reading Why Did Christ Die?
His Sake Or Yours?
As individual Christians, do we wander through life as Israel did for forty years in the wilderness, or do we have a purpose and goal that we strive toward every day like the Apostle Paul? Even when we knock off the "to do list" - go to church, read the Bible, pray, and so on … Continue reading His Sake Or Yours?
God’s Armor
In Ephesians 6:10-19 the Apostle Paul gives Christians a list of battle armor for the spiritual war we face. There is a tendency among Christians to departmentalize problems into the groups of, physical and spiritual. They miss a significant point Paul stresses: everything is spiritual. Ephesians 6:12, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, … Continue reading God’s Armor
Preachers
A writer will sometimes get "writer's block." This condition is especially true with fiction writers. Developing a character or moving a scene along in a way that keeps the reader's interest sometimes takes hours of thought and trial and error. In non-fiction writing, the author collects data, facts, and quotes and formulates them into a … Continue reading Preachers
Political Rumblings
Has anyone in the press not talked about President Biden's debate performance? Little can be said that has not already saturated the news and private conversations. In too simplistic of a sumerary, one side says, "I told you so!" and the other says, "We have to do something." With the political climate in America reaching … Continue reading Political Rumblings
The I, Thee, And Them Of Christian Memory
Every holiday has two purposes - to remember and to celebrate. It's the remembering that we tend to forget. Christmas is a day to remember the birth of Christ and celebrate his birth with presents and family dinners. The Fourth of July, a day to remember our nation's birth and our freedom as Americans, is … Continue reading The I, Thee, And Them Of Christian Memory