Before we were justified, saved from the penalty of sin, we had a dire need, deserved wrath, and were considered to be ‘the Lost:’ “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in this world.”... Continue Reading →
Rom.12:1] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. [2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and... Continue Reading →
One of the most commonly asked questions I get from people is, “What is the best study Bible for me to get?” The answer that I used to give is different than the answer now. I do respect, even appreciate, the labor that has gone into Study Bibles. I have not recommended any study Bible... Continue Reading →
Taking a trip down “memory lane” can be quite the trip, indeed. Sometimes that trip can be good. Sometimes bad. We’ve all been down that road before. One such trip is going back to a time of learning how to ride a bicycle. To make thkngs simple, we’ll look at three phases: The Tricycle With... Continue Reading →
Have you ever wondered about some of the terms that we have used throughout the years, such as, “One nation under God,” and “God’s Country?” It’s election time once again, and we are sure to hear these phrases to prop up America, even placing it in “Most Favored Nation” status by God! I am as... Continue Reading →
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. - Psalm 16:11 A trip down memory lane. My recollection some years later is of a flat rock, that was just outside of the boundary of a ball field. This was... Continue Reading →
1 Timothy 1:18-20 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; 19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: 20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom... Continue Reading →
There is one thing that will never change. People will always be people - no matter their personal level of sanctification. We have been given by God peculiar (some more peculiar than others) particular personality traits, which often conflict with the New Man, who is supposed to reflect the image of Christ. Some Believers are... Continue Reading →
What a thrill it was to participate last weekend in the Twin Cities Grace Fellowship Conference! I had a blast! The theme was The Gathering of Christ’s Body. My first message, called "For Better or For Worse," used 1 Cor. 11:17 as the base text. I had pointed out that in my sermon prep, I... Continue Reading →
OK, first off, I would like to have a show of hands to demonstrate how many people agree with any other person 100% of the time. OK, do I have any takers at 50%? That is what I thought. You can hardly find two people who agree on more than a few key issues. Everyone... Continue Reading →
It’s often easy to see how a person can get caught up in performance based religion. Simply put, people tend to look at a single verse, without context, and build their doctrine based on the incomplete knowledge they have been given. One such instance can be found in Psalm 18:20: The Lord rewarded me according... Continue Reading →
One of the realities that is often so hard for people to fathom is that each and every person in the world is, in fact, an individual. Individual habits, individual appearances, individual diets, even individual preferences of clothing and automobiles. There are no two people alike - even identical twins! There is no single physical... Continue Reading →
There is a dreaded disease that strikes at the heart of every person in the world. This disease also is the most devious of all, because it psychologically makes one think they are actually well. This disease, unfortunately, can be found in many churches. It is nothing new, but has been around even before there... Continue Reading →
I remember hearing a Christian radio broadcast several years ago. The subject of it was regarding music. The premise of it being that the music leader of a church is one of the most difficult positions there is in the church, a premise that I do not hold on to, by the way. So you... Continue Reading →
Auto-play on YouTube can be a wonderful thing. It can also be quite an eye-opening experience, even when listening. A couple of days ago the Sunday message from a local mega-church ended up in the que. The message was the standard “purpose-driven,” “best life now” fare, which is wrong on so many fronts. But, the... Continue Reading →
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. - 1 Thessalonians 2:13 The Word... Continue Reading →
Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. - Job 23:12. I love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. When the going gets tough (or not) a peanut butter and jelly sandwich satisfies! There is nothing flashy, or outlandish about... Continue Reading →
Sometimes I don't know exactly what I’m going to write about until I actually sit at my desk, in front of my computer. In this case I’m at my seldom used desk at our actual church building. This is a rare event, indeed! With the advent of the automobile, and electronic communications the church office... Continue Reading →
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20) One of the most abused Scriptures, out of many, is Matthew 18:20. This verse is used so often as a verse that proves that the Holy Spirit is present “when two or three are... Continue Reading →
He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him. - Proverbs 18:13 I have always been a proponent of apologetics - the defense of the faith. It is, after all, an important issue. Knowing your Christian worldview, and the difference between Biblical Christianity, and other “isms” which run... Continue Reading →
SUPPLY OF GRACE 