Tag Archives: christianity

The Elderly Woman

My previous post was the first of a two-part series on the Bible’s description of the ideal elderly man and woman. This description is found in Titus 2:1-5, and with that first post I covered the passage’s description of the … Continue reading

Posted in Adultery, Aging, Anger, Character, Children, Desires, Doing Good, Family, God's Word, Headship, Love, Marriage, Motherhood, Parenting, Priorities, Rebellion, Service, Sex, Sin, Submission, Teaching, The Tongue, Wives | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Elderly Man

A father and mother paced the floors the night of their teenage son’s first date. The boy had just gotten his driver’s license that day and had celebrated by taking his girlfriend to the movies. He was supposed to be … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Character, Family, Fatherhood, Husbands, Marriage, Parenting, Perseverance | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Devil You Know

A five-year-old boy was visiting his aunt overnight. At bedtime he asked her to leave his door open and the light on in the hall. Surprised, the aunt said, “Why? You’re not afraid of the dark when you are at … Continue reading

Posted in Change, Choices, Courage, Faith, Fear, God's Will, God's Work, Ministry, Obedience, Problems, Service, Trusting In God, Worry | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Should Have Been

I was a little under two years into my first pastorate when one afternoon, as I was driving in my car, I happened to drive past the sign for a certain church in our area. It was a sign that … Continue reading

Posted in Choices, Church, Counsel, Decisions, Disappointment, Discernment, Disobedience, God's Timing, God's Guidance, God's Will, God's Work, Influence, Leadership, Ministry, Obedience, Patience, Personal, Prayer, Prayer Requests, Preaching, Rebellion, Service, Waiting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Filling in the Gaps of My Learning

I grew up in a small, rural, conservative Southern Baptist Convention church. I believed in Jesus as my Savior at a young age, was baptized, and joined the church. I went to Sunday School just about every Sunday and stayed … Continue reading

Posted in Adversity, Bible Study, Children, Church, Disappointment, Discipleship, Doubt, Faith, Parenting, Persecution, Perseverance, Personal, Prayer Requests, Problems, Scripture, Spiritual Warfare, Suffering, The Bible, Trials, Trusting In God, Youth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

God Sent? Or God Allowed and Used?

Somewhere along the way in my ministry, I picked up a daily devotion book written by Phillips Brooks. Brooks was a famous Episcopalian pastor in the Boston area in the 1800s. In the devotion for May 2, he writes: Faith … Continue reading

Posted in Adversity, God's Omnipotence, God's Omnipresence, God's Omniscience, God's Will, Human Life, Persecution, Perseverance, Problems, Rebellion, Sickness, Sin, Spiritual Warfare, Suffering, Trials, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Does God Speak Through Dreams Today?

In the days before Christ’s death and resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit to indwell His followers (Acts 2:1-4), one of God’s primary ways of speaking to people was through dreams. This was especially true concerning His prophets. … Continue reading

Posted in Choices, Decisions, Discernment, Dreams, God's Will, Personal | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Is Every Christian a Saint?

Christianity offers a whole list of strange words that all end with the letters “t-i-o-n.” We have: “justification,” “regeneration,” “glorification,” “propitiation,” “imputation,” “predestination,” and “transfiguration.” One little boy, whose parents made him go to church every Sunday, got into trouble … Continue reading

Posted in Backsliding, Discipleship, Holiness, Personal Holiness, Prophecy, Resurrection, Salvation, Sanctification | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Relationship Between Salvation & the Truth

In the last part of 1 Timothy 4:3, the apostle Paul describes Christians as “those who believe and know the truth.” This description ties in with 1 Timothy 2:4 where he says that God “desires all men to be saved … Continue reading

Posted in Atheism, Belief, Christ's Death, Christ's Resurrection, Eternity, Heaven, Salvation, Satan, The Devil, The Gospel, Truth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

God Loves the Word “Through”

Have you ever noticed that God loves the word “through”? Take Isaiah 43:2, for example, where He says to Israel: When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. … Continue reading

Posted in Adversity, Attitude, Complaining, Courage, Disappointment, Discipleship, Encouragement, Faith, Fear, God's Guidance, God's Provision, Needs, Patience, Persecution, Perseverance, Problems, Spiritual Warfare, Suffering, Teaching, Trials, Trusting In God, Waiting, Worry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment