Category Archives: God’s Work

Does God Harden Hearts?

Posted on November 4, 2020 by russellmckinney

(“Questions From Israel’s Exodus” series: post #8) Scholars have long debated which of Egypt’s Pharaohs was the Pharaoh of the Exodus story. Some of the candidates are Amenhotep II, Raamses I, Sethi I, Rameses II, or Merenptah. What isn’t up … Continue reading →

Posted in Attitude, Disobedience, God's Wrath, God's Foreknowledge, God's Judgment, God's Work, Rebellion, Series: "Questions From Israel's Exodus" | 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

Does God Call the Qualified or Qualify the Called?

Posted on October 28, 2020 by russellmckinney

(“Questions From Israel’s Exodus” series: post #5) In a very real sense, Moses was uniquely qualified to be the man through whom God would deliver the Israelites from their Egyptian bondage. For one thing, he was an Egyptian by upbringing … Continue reading →

Posted in Deacons, Discipleship, God's Provision, God's Work, Individuality, Ministry, Obedience, Preaching, Series: "Questions From Israel's Exodus", Service, Spiritual Gifts, Talents | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Does God Have Just One Plan to Bless a Person?

Posted on October 26, 2020 by russellmckinney

(“Questions From Israel’s Exodus” series: post #4) Does God have just one plan, custom designed for each person, by which He can pour blessings into that person’s life? No, He doesn’t. If He did, most of us would never see … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Aging, Backsliding, Change, Contentment, Disappointment, Divorce, Divorce & Remarriage, Family, God's Love, God's Work, Grace, Perseverance, Problems, Prosperity, Restoration, Series: "Questions From Israel's Exodus", Service, Thankfulness, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Does Moral Failure Disqualify a Person From God’s Service?

Posted on October 23, 2020 by russellmckinney

(“Questions From Israel’s Exodus” series: post #3) After Moses became the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter, he spent the first forty years of his life riding high. Acts 7:22 says: “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Backsliding, Deacons, God's Work, Ministry, Pastors, Personal Holiness, Preaching, Sin | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Can God’s Plan Take a Long Time to Play Out?

Posted on October 21, 2020 by russellmckinney

(Questions From Israel’s Exodus” series: post #2) We expect God to do His work through angels, lightning bolts, and whirlwinds, but the fact is that He usually does it through people. More to the point, He oftentimes raises up just … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Aging, Coming Judgment, Disappointment, Doubt, Faith, Faithfulness, God's Timing, God's Work, Justice, Patience, Persecution, Perseverance, Prayer Requests, Problems, Series: "Questions From Israel's Exodus", Suffering, Trials, Trusting In God, Waiting | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Does God Sometimes Let Us Endure Dark Days?

Posted on October 19, 2020 by russellmckinney

(“Questions From Israel’s Exodus” series: post #1) In Genesis 15:12-16, we read about a dream that Abraham had in which God declared that Abraham’s descendants would spend 400 years in a foreign land and be afflicted there through servitude to … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Christ's Birth, Depression, Disappointment, Doubt, Faithfulness, God's Timing, God's Work, Human Life, Patience, Perseverance, Problems, Series: "Questions From Israel's Exodus", Slavery, Suffering, Trials, Trusting In God, Waiting | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

How D.L. Moody Won a Little Girl to Christ

Posted on September 19, 2020 by russellmckinney

For many years, R.A. Torrey helped famed evangelist D.L. Moody in Moody’s work. Torrey himself told the following story about one of Moody’s converts. I offer Torrey’s account verbatim: On one occasion in Chicago, Mr. Moody saw a little girl … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Evangelism, Family, God's Work, Influence, Ministry, Salvation, Service, Sunday School, The Gospel, Witnessing, Youth | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Spiritual Leaders & Preachers’ Kids (post #2 of 2)

Posted on September 5, 2020 by russellmckinney

People tend to think that being called of God to spiritual leadership somehow causes the called to put on a magic cloak that miraculously changes everything about the person. The cloak corrects wrong thinking, fixes longstanding problems, strengthens weaknesses, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Adultery, Anger, Backsliding, Character, Church, Church Attendance, Current Events, Deacons, Depravity, Family, Forgiveness, God's Work, Hypocrisy, Leadership, Lust, Ministry, Pastors, Personal Holiness, Preaching, Sanctification, Service, Sin, Temptation, The Death Penalty, The Old Testament Law | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Spiritual Leaders & Preachers’ Kids (post #1 of 2)

Posted on September 2, 2020 by russellmckinney

Maybe you’ve heard about the recent troubles of Jerry Falwell Jr. After a string of scandals, he has now been ousted as the President of Liberty University, the school his father founded. The whole story has given Christianity yet another … Continue reading →

Posted in Adultery, Backsliding, Character, Church, Church Attendance, Current Events, Depravity, God's Work, Husbands, Hypocrisy, Lust, Marriage, Ministry, Pastors, Personal Holiness, Politics, Preaching, Service, Sex, Sin, Temptation, Wives | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments