In-Your-Face Preaching (Acts 8:4-8) The preaching of Philip was not unto emotional highs and lows. He declared with in-your-face preaching the truth of God. He came with in-your-face preaching and its purpose: conversion. In-your-face preaching is not unkind but is unhindered by undue concern for feelings and positions because it is godward and God-honoring and […]
What are you going to do when the consequences of keeping company with Christ come home? We cannot think that periods of peace will last always. What do the advisories and admonitions of Scripture say regarding persecution? Persecution is Positive (Matthew 5:11-12 – part of the profile of a prize winner) 11 “Blessed are you […]
32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace […]
The Character of Asking As Americans we are proud of our independence. Every year we celebrate it. And we applaud it when we see it in individuals. Really, who does not appreciate the account of someone who has risen above being shipwrecked or a castaway to become sea worthy again? Who does enjoy the true […]
I am soon to be, Lord willing, fifty years old. Brethren, please let me pass along these things that I have learned: Be Humble The Almighty resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). Real humility before God is not about self-deprecating statements or even a refusal […]
Life is full of sweet, sour, and bitter things. Who saw the virus or its decimations coming? Lives gone. Economies eviscerated. Who saw the knee, the cry for breath, and the ensuing riots right behind COVID-19? We have been handed some sour things in 2020. Where is the sweet? That’s up to you, my friend. […]
The Consequence of His Company (Mark 3:14; Acts 4:13) 12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?” 13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.” 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all […]
Do it First (Mark 1:35) Time with God is often regarded as that thing we will do when we have free time. When the chores are done, the kids are down, and there is nothing critical in queue… then we will offer Him a moment. Such moments, though, are often the dregs of our strength, […]
Real Talk with Roderick Barnes Seeing the Good and Seeking Saul Barnabas was a brother with the tendency to see the beauty in things, the propensity to have a positive outlook, and the audacity to work in formerly forbidden regions with former foes of the faith. In this post we take a look at his bent […]
To have, To hold, AND To help It is not enough to have and to hold if we are not willing to help. The first two alone amount to possession. But when we are committed to helping our spouse we move beyond the desire to possess her into the God-honoring goal of promoting her good. […]