Category Archives: Personal Holiness

What Love for Jesus Looks Like

Posted on July 25, 2009 by russellmckinney

Harry Winston, the famous New York diamond dealer, once heard about a wealthy Dutch merchant who was looking for a certain kind of diamond to add to his collection. Winston called the merchant, told him he thought he had just … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiction, Alcohol, Backsliding, Choices, Commitment, Confession, Discipleship, Disobedience, Doing Good, Dress and Appearance, Drugs, Dying To Self, Faithfulness, Gambling, Gluttony, God's Holiness, God's Will, Holiness, Love, Obedience, Personal Holiness, Priorities, Rebellion, Repentance, Sanctification, Separation, Sin, Temptation | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Beer and Boycotts

Posted on July 21, 2009 by russellmckinney

Our little town of Spruce Pine recently voted to turn “wet” by allowing the sale of beer and wine inside the city limits. Needless to say, this was major news. Many of the churches of the area banded together and put … Continue reading →

Posted in Alcohol, Balance, Christian Liberty, Holiness, Personal, Personal Holiness, Separation | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Easy Eddie’s Example to Fathers

Posted on June 20, 2009 by russellmckinney

Back in the days when Al Capone ran the city of Chicago, his lawyer was a man nicknamed “Easy Eddie.” Despite the fact that Capone’s empire was built around bootleg booze, prostitution, and murder, Easy Eddie’s legal skill always kept … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Doing Good, Fatherhood, Influence, Parenting, Personal Holiness, Priorities | Tagged | Leave a comment

My Body, A Temple

Posted on June 17, 2009 by russellmckinney

I’m well aware that 1 Timothy 4:8 says: “For bodily exercise profits little, but godliness is profitable for all things” (N.K.J.V.). I’m also well aware that overweight Christians love that verse because it seems to dismiss the need for exercise. Nevertheless, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alcohol, Dieting, Dress and Appearance, Drugs, Gambling, Gluttony, Homosexuality, Idolatry, Personal Holiness, Repentance, Sanctification, Sex, Sin, Temptation, The Heart, The Holy Spirit, The Tongue | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Dry Land

Posted on May 18, 2009 by russellmckinney

When a drought hits a land, springs go dry, wells stop working, and creeks run low. There is, however, another kind of drought, one that is mentioned in Psalm 68:5-6. Those verses say: A father of the fatherless, a defender … Continue reading →

Posted in Attitude, Backsliding, Bible Study, Change, Character, Choices, Confession, Decisions, Disobedience, Doing Good, Dying To Self, God's Chastening, God's Love, God's Wrath, God's Judgment, Obedience, Personal Holiness, Pride, Problems, Rebellion, Repentance, Reward, Scripture, Sin, Sowing and Reaping, Submission, The Bible | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why God Hates Gambling

Posted on May 12, 2009 by russellmckinney

God hates gambling. Perhaps your response to that simple statement is, “But what’s wrong with me having a little fun? I can buy a lottery ticket every now and then, go to a casino a couple of weekends a year, … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiction, Christ's Death, Christian Liberty, Contentment, Gambling, God's Will, Greed, Money, Personal Holiness, Prosperity, Sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Preacher Cassity’s Desires

Posted on April 21, 2009 by russellmckinney

I was sorting through some old stuff and came across a sermon outline from Richard M. Cassity. His friends called him Dick, but our entire county knew him as “Preacher Cassity.” He befriended me when my days as a young … Continue reading →

Posted in Desires, Doing Good, Dying To Self, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Family, God's Will, God's Work, Heaven, Ministry, Personal, Personal Holiness, Priorities, Salvation, Sanctification, Service, Thankfulness, Trusting In God, Witnessing, Worry | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Getting Your Toes Stepped On

Posted on April 15, 2009 by russellmckinney

A preacher had just finished a very strong sermon on the subject of sin. One of the officers of his church came to him and asked for a private word in the preacher’s study. Once there, the scolding began. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Choices, Church, Conviction, Disobedience, Forgiveness, God's Chastening, God's Holiness, God's Judgment, God's Word, Man's Freewill, Obedience, Pastors, Personal, Personal Holiness, Preaching, Rebellion, Sin, Truth | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Temptation’s Cliff

Posted on April 2, 2009 by russellmckinney

Once there was a man who lived in a mountainous region. The road to his house ran along a steep cliff. When the man set about to hire a coachman, three candidates applied for the position. The man called in the first candidate … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiction, Adultery, Alcohol, Backsliding, Choices, Idolatry, Personal Holiness, Sin, Temptation | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Family Resemblance

Posted on April 1, 2009 by russellmckinney

Let me shock you: God’s chief characteristic is not love. “Then what is it it?” you ask. Answer: holiness. Psalm 47:8 doesn’t say God sits upon his “loving” throne. It says He sits upon His “holy” throne. When Moses stood before … Continue reading →

Posted in Backsliding, Character, Disobedience, Fatherhood, God's Holiness, God's Love, Heaven, Hell, Holiness, Obedience, Personal Holiness, Rebellion, Salvation, Sanctification, Sin, Temptation, Witnessing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment