Yearly Archives: 2021

Do You Know Jesus as Savior? Or Do You Just Know About Him?

Posted on July 5, 2021 by russellmckinney

I subscribe to a certain Christian publication that recently featured an old sermon from Oswald J. Smith. Smith was a Canadian pastor/church planter/author who is probably best known for founding The Peoples Church in Toronto and serving as the church’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Assurance of Salvation, Backsliding, Baptism, Belief, Church, Church Attendance, Church Discipline, Evangelism, Heaven, Repentance, Salvation, Witnessing | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

God’s Aquarium

Posted on July 2, 2021 by russellmckinney

Job 42:2 begins Job’s apology to God after he has challenged God’s wisdom and justice in allowing him to suffer so much tragedy. Call it a confession or call it repentance, but the verse signals the end of Job questioning … Continue reading →

Posted in Calvinism, Choices, Creation, Evangelism, God's Love, God's Omnipotence, God's Omnipresence, God's Sovereignty, God's Will, Man's Freewill, Rebellion, Sin, Submission, Witnessing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Serving Behind the Scenes

Posted on June 30, 2021 by russellmckinney

“But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly” … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Family, Fatherhood, Husbands, Marriage, Ministry, Pastors, Preaching, Priorities, Reward, Service, Wives | Tagged , , , | 17 Comments

What God Thinks About the Emasculation of Men

Posted on June 28, 2021 by russellmckinney

This past Saturday morning I woke up, put on my clothes, and started making my way to the kitchen to get breakfast. As I walked through our living room, my twenty-year-old son, Royce, was sprawled out there on the couch. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible Study, Children, Courage, Current Events, Family, Fatherhood, God's Word, Husbands, Influence, King James Only, Lesbianism, Parenting, Personal, Scripture, The Old Testament Law, Witnessing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Attempting to Define Faith

Posted on June 26, 2021 by russellmckinney

Faith is one of those things that is hard to pin down to a simple definition. As evidence of this, Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary offers the following definitions: “allegiance to duty or a person” (as in, “lost faith in the company’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Belief, Commitment, Doubt, Faith, God's Sovereignty, Trials, Trusting In God, Worry | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Why the World Is Like It Is

Posted on June 25, 2021 by russellmckinney

Satan (Lucifer, the Devil) wasn’t the only angel who once rebelled against God. Revelation 12:3-4 uses symbolic imagery to tell us that one-third of all the angels aligned themselves with Satan during that rebellion. Those verses depict Satan as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Angels, Backsliding, Current Events, Demons, Depravity, Discernment, Disobedience, God's Work, Government, Problems, Rebellion, Salvation, Satan, Sin, Spiritual Warfare, Submission, Suffering, The Devil | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Have the Courage of a Lion

Posted on June 23, 2021 by russellmckinney

I read about a mouse who was terrified of cats until a magician turned it into a cat. That gave the mouse-turned-cat great courage until it was chased by a dog. The magician then turned it into a dog, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Courage, Faith, Fear, Problems, Trusting In God, Worry | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Letting Go & Letting God

Posted on June 22, 2021 by russellmckinney

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (Philippians 4:6, K.J.V.) “Don’t worry.” That advice is a lot easier given than accepted, isn’t it? The temptation … Continue reading →

Posted in Belief, Faith, God's Love, God's Omnipotence, God's Provision, Needs, Personal, Prayer, Prayer Requests, Problems, Trusting In God, Worry | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Which Direction Does Your Life Flow?

Posted on June 18, 2021 by russellmckinney

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, will inherit … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiction, Backsliding, Confession, Contentment, Desires, Doing Good, Eternal Security, Grace, Guilt, Personal Holiness, Rebellion, Repentance, Restoration, Salvation, Sin, Temptation | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Translation Issues from the Life of David

Posted on June 16, 2021 by russellmckinney

On Wednesday nights for the past several months, I’ve been preaching a series of sermons on the life of David. As part of my studying to prepare those sermons, I’ve had to deal with a couple of textual difficulties. One … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible Study, Discernment, Discipleship, God's Word, King James Only, Preaching, Scripture, The Bible | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment