Category Archives: Fear

Don’t Bail Out

Posted on July 10, 2023 by russellmckinney

Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” (John 6:67, N.K.J.V.) A pilot announced to his passengers that three of the plane’s four engines had conked out. A few seconds later he came out of … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Backsliding, Choices, Christ's Miracles, Commitment, Complaining, Decisions, Depression, Disappointment, Discipleship, Disobedience, Doubt, Eternal Security, Faithfulness, Fear, God's Will, Obedience, Perseverance, Problems, Rebellion, Service, Suffering, Temptation, Trials, Trusting In God, Truth, Waiting | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Burning Your Ships

Posted on June 23, 2023 by russellmckinney

Hernando (Hernan) Cortez was a Spanish Conquistador who launched ships from Spanish-held Cuba to conquer Mexico in 1519. That brought about the demise of the great Aztec empire. According to legend, when Cortez first landed on the shores of Mexico, … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Change, Choices, Courage, Decisions, Disappointment, Faith, Fear, God's Provision, God's Will, Perseverance, Prayer, Prayer Requests, Problems, Trials, Trusting In God, Worry | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

When a Strength Becomes a Weakness

Posted on June 19, 2023 by russellmckinney

It is paradoxical, as well as sad, that God’s servant will often fail in the very area in which he or she is normally strong. The Bible offers us several case studies of this strange fact. Let me share three … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Backsliding, Courage, Faith, Fear, Humility, Individuality, Personal Holiness, Pride, Sin | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Got a Need?

Posted on May 3, 2023 by russellmckinney

A small Bible college was growing so fast that it desperately needed more dormitory space. If a new dormitory couldn’t be built, students would have to be turned away. So, the school’s president took the matter to God in prayer … Continue reading →

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

A Big, Black Door

Posted on March 17, 2023 by russellmckinney

A spy was captured by the Persian army and sentenced to death. As he soon learned, the Persian general who issued the death sentence carried out executions in an unusual way. The general would give the condemned the choice of … Continue reading →

Posted in Choices, Courage, Decisions, Doubt, Faith, Fear, God's Will, Obedience, Satan, The Devil, Trusting In God, Worry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Hop of Faith

Posted on January 9, 2023 by russellmckinney

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Attitude, Complaining, Current Events, Depression, Disappointment, Faith, Fear, God's Love, God's Omnipotence, God's Provision, God's Sovereignty, Needs, New Year, Problems, Trials, Trusting In God, Worry | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Importance of Speaking Up

Posted on December 13, 2022 by russellmckinney

In the summer of 2011, Tonya and I loaded the boys into the Dodge Caravan and headed down to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for a vacation. Ryan was fourteen years old at the time and Royce was ten. One experience … Continue reading →

Posted in Church Discipline, Commitment, Discernment, Discipleship, Doing Good, Faithfulness, Fear, God's Will, God's Work, Honesty, Influence, Ministry, Obedience, Persecution, Personal, Problems, Reward, Sanctification, Service, Sin, The Tongue, Truth, Witnessing | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Arms of God

Posted on June 27, 2022 by russellmckinney

The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms… (Deuteronomy 33:27, N.K.J.V.) A family was awakened one night by the blaring of their smoke detector. Sure enough, their house was on fire. The father immediately raced into … Continue reading →

Posted in Belief, Choices, Faith, Fatherhood, Fear, God's Omnipotence, God's Omnipresence, God's Will, Obedience, Submission, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Prayer Worth Praying

Posted on May 30, 2022 by russellmckinney

My friend Malcolm Woody once sent me an e-mail that included an awesome prayer. The prayer came from John Baillie, the Scottish theologian who wrote the classic book A Diary of Private Prayer. The prayer goes like this: Teach me, O’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Courage, Disappointment, Fear, God's Sovereignty, Humility, Loneliness, Persecution, Perseverance, Personal Holiness, Prayer, Problems, Sanctification, Sickness, Suffering, Trials, Trusting In God, Waiting | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

“Lord, I Believe; Help My Unbelief”

Posted on April 29, 2022 by russellmckinney

The story of a certain father bringing his demon-possessed son to Jesus is recorded in Matthew 17:14-21, Mark 9:14-29, and Luke 9:37-42. While each of those accounts provides different details about the story, the account that typically gets used as … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Belief, Comfort, Faith, Fear, God's Love, Grace, Needs, Personal, Prayer Requests, Trusting In God, Worry | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment