Tag Archives: Faith

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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 , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

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, Persecution, Perseverance, Problems, Rebellion, Sickness, Sin, Spiritual Warfare, Trials, Trusting In God | 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 , , , , , , , , , | 1 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. When you walk through the fire, … 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

“What Are You Doing Here?”

Elijah had recently experienced one of the greatest victories of his life in defeating and executing Queen Jezebel’s 450 prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:17-40). Afterward, he probably hoped that Jezebel would admit defeat and stop her … Continue reading

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

The Judgment Seat of Christ

It has been said that Satan gives his rewards up front, while God gives His on the back end. This raises the question, “How does God give His rewards?” The answer is: the judgment seat of Christ. The judgment seat … Continue reading

Posted in Adversity, Character, Christ's Return, Coming Judgment, Commitment, Discipleship, Doing Good, Eternal Security, Eternity, Faithfulness, God's Work, Grace, Heaven, Perseverance, Resurrection, Reward, Salvation, Sanctification, Service, The Judgment Seat of Christ, Witnessing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

When God Doesn’t Make a Way

My previous post was entitled “God Can Make a Way” and was based upon the story found in Acts 12:1-19. That post focused upon how God made a way of escape for Peter as Peter sat in a Roman prison … Continue reading

Posted in Adversity, Angels, Belief, Bible Study, Death, Disappointment, Discipleship, Faith, Faithfulness, Fear, God's Omnipotence, God's Omniscience, God's Sovereignty, God's Will, Human Life, Justice, Patience, Persecution, Perseverance, Personal, Prayer, Prayer Requests, Preaching, Problems, Scripture, Suffering, The Bible, Trials, Trusting In God, Waiting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

God Can Make a Way

One of the better-known stories from the book of Acts involves an angel breaking Peter out of a Roman prison. The story is found in Acts 12:1-19. Herod Agrippa had Peter arrested with the intention of trying him and executing … Continue reading

Posted in Adversity, Angels, Belief, Death, Faith, Fear, God's Provision, God's Sovereignty, God's Will, Needs, Prayer, Prayer Requests, Problems, Suffering, Trials, Trusting In God, Worry | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments