Category Archives: Reward

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

A Word About Lighthouses, Fire, & Wood

Posted on November 30, 2022 by russellmckinney

One foggy night a captain saw a faint light directly in the path of his ship. Accordingly, he ordered his signalman to send out the message: “Alter your course ten degrees south.” The signalman did so, but the return reply … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible Study, Coming Judgment, Current Events, Doing Good, Faithfulness, God's Wrath, God's Judgment, God's Word, Personal Holiness, Reward, Scripture, The Bible, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

In Training to Be Used Mightily

Posted on November 28, 2022 by russellmckinney

A budding young soloist went to a great Italian musician for voice training. The master handed him a piece of music and said, “Practice this for one full year and then return here.” The request seemed a bit strange, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Choices, Commitment, Disappointment, Discipleship, Doing Good, Faith, Faithfulness, God's Timing, God's Omniscience, God's Will, Impatience, Ministry, Music, Obedience, Patience, Perseverance, Rebellion, Reward, Submission, Teaching, Temptation, Trials, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

How Optimistic Are You About Your Future?

Posted on November 11, 2022 by russellmckinney

Flagstaff, Maine, was chosen as the site for a huge hydroelectric installation. The installation would include a dam that would impound miles and miles of water and bury the town under water. Consequently, in the late 1940s, the process of … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Aging, Assurance of Salvation, Attitude, Christ's Death, Christ's Resurrection, Comfort, Contentment, Depression, Disappointment, Elderly, Encouragement, Eternal Security, Eternity, Faith, Heaven, Peace, Problems, Reward, Salvation, Suffering, Trials | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Suffering

Posted on October 24, 2022 by russellmckinney

We live in a culture in which we are taught to avoid suffering. After all, avoiding it does seem to make perfect sense. But the problem is that God, who oftentimes delights in making little or no sense, uses suffering … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Attitude, Christ's Death, Christ's Resurrection, Comfort, Complaining, Contentment, Courage, Depression, Disappointment, Encouragement, Patience, Persecution, Perseverance, Problems, Reward, Salvation, Sanctification, Suffering, Trials, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Headed North

Posted on August 19, 2022 by russellmckinney

Is it possible for a person to be moving north and south at the same time? Sure. Imagine a man walking south on the deck of a ship that is headed north. As we live the Christian life, we oftentimes … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Backsliding, Comfort, Demons, Eternal Security, Heaven, Perseverance, Problems, Reward, Salvation, Satan, Sowing and Reaping, Trials | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Properly Appreciate Heaven

Posted on August 6, 2022 by russellmckinney

Charles Spurgeon, Victorian England’s most famous preacher, wrote the following concerning why the Christian has difficulties in this life: “We would never know the music of the harp if the strings were left untouched or enjoy the juice of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Comfort, Encouragement, Eternity, Heaven, Perseverance, Problems, Reward | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

You Just Never Know

Posted on July 25, 2022 by russellmckinney

Lyman Beecher was one of the most famous Presbyterian preachers of the 1800s. Early in his ministry, he once exchanged pulpits for a Sunday with the pastor of a small country church. It was in the middle of winter, with … Continue reading →

Posted in Church, Church Attendance, Commitment, God's Work, Obedience, Preaching, Reward, Salvation, Sowing and Reaping | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Man’s Body

Posted on July 23, 2022 by russellmckinney

“The Spirit, The Soul, & The Body” series: (post #3) This will be the last post in our little three-part series on man’s spirit, soul, and body. This time we’ll deal with man’s body. I’ll grant you that the body is … Continue reading →

Posted in Belief, Coming Judgment, Death, Dieting, God's Wrath, God's Judgment, God's Will, Heaven, Hell, Human Life, Personal Holiness, Prophecy, Reward, Salvation, Series: "The Spirit, The Soul, and The Body", Submission, The Holy Spirit | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Man’s Soul

Posted on July 21, 2022 by russellmckinney

“The Spirit, The Soul, & The Body” series: (post #2) We’re in the middle of a series entitled “The Spirit, The Soul, & The Body.” In my last post, I talked about man’s spirit. With this post I want to say … Continue reading →

Posted in Belief, Death, Heaven, Hell, Human Life, Reward, Salvation, Series: "The Spirit, The Soul, and The Body" | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment