The couple showed up out of the blue for an evening service. As I approached them it was easy to tell that they wanted to talk to me but were a little nervous. He grew up in the US, she was a first generation immigrant. They found us through an internet search. After exchanging some…
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of OFFENSE: and whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed (Romans 9:33). To offend can mean a number of different things. It means to cause displeasure, resentment or wounded feelings. It is a matter that is very difficult in our…
O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed His grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! O beautiful for pilgrim feet, Whose stern, impassioned stress A thoroughfare for freedom beat Across the wilderness! America!…
Discipleship is an essential feature of God’s plan to build His church; it is not an optional add-on to evangelism. Jesus spent many hours teaching both “the multitudes” and His disciples. The command of the Great Commission is to “make disciples” by baptizing new converts and then teaching them. This teaching is to be comprehensive—in…
A college friend and I once debated whether there would be soccer in Heaven. He steadfastly maintained we would all play, while I insisted that believers would surround the throne for eternity, praising God. No time for sports. Freshman roommates rarely achieve advances in theology, and we were no exception. Our curiosity often gives rise…
I recently had a conversation with a young man preparing for ministry that turned a bit differently than I expected. He casually made the case that based upon his understanding of the Psalms, there is some religious music that is intended for worship and other religious music that is intended to be used outside…
The Long War On July 10, 2007, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James T. Conway, gave a speech at the Marines’ Memorial Association and World Affairs Council in San Francisco, California. In General Conway’s opening remarks, he made the following statement: “Many in our country routinely characterize what is taking place in the…
Tucked away in the record about the crucifixion of Jesus is a touching, intimate moment that includes a little-known statement by Jesus (John 19:25-27). This statement is the third saying of Christ on the cross, and though it may be the least familiar, it deserves our careful attention. This brief moment and unfamiliar statement teach…
And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to CRY OUT, and say, Jesus, Thou Son of David, haver mercy on me. Mark 10:47 There are many reasons why our prayers and not always answered. We all know that sin interferes with successful praying (Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 59:1-2). The other common…
In my previous article, I explained that the nature and teaching of the Bible calls for its application to our present circumstances. This article will, I trust, uncover examples in Scripture that model direct application in preaching. “Direct application” refers to going beyond the explicit statement of the biblical text and discovering relevance for the…