Category Archives: Decisions

What Satellite Chips Have to Do with Holy Conduct

Posted on April 28, 2021 by russellmckinney

…as He who has called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15-16, N.K.J.V.). A country doctor had a sign in his office that … Continue reading →

Posted in Backsliding, Character, Choices, Decisions, Desires, Discipleship, Doing Good, God's Holiness, God's Will, Holiness, Personal, Personal Holiness, Sin, Temptation, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Is It Sin Or Not?

Posted on March 13, 2021 by russellmckinney

One morning a boy was dressing for school. He picked up a shirt that was lying around and asked his mother, “Mom, is this shirt dirty?” Without even looking at the shirt, the mother answered, “Yes, it’s dirty; put on … Continue reading →

Posted in Choices, Decisions, Discernment, Entertainment, God's Will, Inner Peace, Personal, Personal Holiness, Sin | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Sometimes Your Logic Can Make a Situation Worse

Posted on March 8, 2021 by russellmckinney

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6, N.K.J.V.) A husband and wife hitched their r.v. camper to their … Continue reading →

Posted in Choices, Decisions, Discernment, God's Will, Humor, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

A Sad Fact

Posted on February 19, 2021 by russellmckinney

Here’s a true story from Queensland, Australia. One night a patrolman sat stealthily in his car outside a popular tavern in the expectation of writing someone up for drunk driving. Sure enough, late that evening, a man staggered out of … Continue reading →

Posted in Choices, Decisions, Demons, Discernment, Discipleship, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, The Devil | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The CSS Shenandoah

Posted on December 28, 2020 by russellmckinney

The full-rigged sailing ship known as Sea King was a British merchant ship that was re-purposed as a raiding ship by the Confederate States Navy during the Civil War. The ship was renamed CSS Shenandoah and was deployed to raid … Continue reading →

Posted in Anger, Choices, Decisions, Discernment, God's Will, Priorities, Reconciliation, Revenge, War | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

When the Timing Isn’t Right

Posted on December 14, 2020 by russellmckinney

Tonya and I lived in a rental apartment and then a rental house for pretty much the first two years of our marriage. Then we started looking around for a house to buy. One house in particular looked good and … Continue reading →

Posted in Choices, Decisions, Desires, Disappointment, God's Timing, God's Sovereignty, God's Will, Impatience, Patience, Personal, Submission, Trusting In God, Waiting | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Does God Lead Us Along Routes That Don’t Make Sense?

Posted on November 9, 2020 by russellmckinney

(“Questions From Israel’s Exodus” series: post #10) God had to use unprecedented plagues, ten of them, to get Pharaoh to release the Israelites from their Egyptian bondage. At last, however, Pharaoh did relent. The Israelites’ departure from Egypt was sudden … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Choices, Commitment, Courage, Decisions, Doubt, Dying To Self, Faith, God's Will, Leadership, Obedience, Series: "Questions From Israel's Exodus", Service, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Does God Accept Excuses?

Posted on October 30, 2020 by russellmckinney

(“Questions From Israel’s Exodus” series: post #6) Forty years had passed since Moses had killed an Egyptian taskmaster, fled from Egypt, and settled down in Midian. His Pharaoh grandfather, the one who had sought his death for killing that taskmaster, … Continue reading →

Posted in Choices, Courage, Decisions, Discipleship, Dying To Self, Faithfulness, God's Will, God's Work, Leadership, Ministry, Obedience, Series: "Questions From Israel's Exodus", Service, Submission | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

What Two Monks Can Teach Us About Sin

Posted on October 12, 2020 by russellmckinney

There’s an old story that tells of a senior monk and a junior monk who were making their way from one monastery to another. It was a pleasant enough walk until they came to a certain crossing site at a … Continue reading →

Posted in Alcohol, Choices, Christian Liberty, Conscience, Decisions, Discernment, Faith, Personal Holiness, Sin | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Bronze Shields in Place of Gold Shields

Posted on September 21, 2020 by russellmckinney

The reign of King Solomon’s son Rehoboam was fairly doomed from the start. On the one hand, many in Israel had grown weary not only of Solomon’s system of taxation (1 Kings 4:7) but also the labor force Solomon required … Continue reading →

Posted in Backsliding, Church, Decisions, Discernment, Disobedience, Eternal Security, Personal Holiness, Repentance, Separation, Sin | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment