Decades ago, while pastoring a previous church, some interesting things happened. A few weeks after starting at the church, I was there alone and decided to snoop around. There I was looking through closets and other storage areas. Everything was what you would expect stored inside a church. A lot of seasonal decorations, costumes, and … Continue reading What About The Children?
sin
What You Don’t Know Will Hurt You
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
Reconciliation
When reading or studying the Bible, it is always helpful to note when God repeats Himself. Look for the same words or phrases that are duplicated over the span of a few verses or a chapter. On a broader scale, a word study throughout the Bible can be very interesting. Pick a word, then look … Continue reading Reconciliation
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
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
Will America Do What’s Needed?
Mark 3:24-26, “And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.” All of us should pay attention to every word God says, but … Continue reading Will America Do What’s Needed?
Be Still
Yesterday, friends asked if we could get together before Christmas. We checked our calendars, and there was no date between now and Christmas that we both had open. We set a date for Tuesday after Christmas. The holiday season, busy, busy, busy. People tell me it's good to be busy, that way you're not bored. … Continue reading Be Still
Let God Fight
We all go through our struggles. Sometimes the struggles are minor, sometimes they are major battles. As Christians, one of our most significant problems is that we tend to try to fight our battles ourselves. Think of the battles that the Hebrews fought in the Old Testament. At Jericho, God told them to walk around … Continue reading Let God Fight
Spiritual Influence
Have you ever wondered what the world was like before Christianity? For us Christians, we have the Old Testament, and we can read how God interacted with Israel and the Hebrew people. We see a little about what life was like in Babylon and Egypt as we read of the Jews being slaves. The Old … Continue reading Spiritual Influence
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