In John 15:1 Jesus says that God is the gardener and he prunes every branch that does not produce fruit. A person stuck in his or her ways of sin is like a prickly shrub growing a lot of branches with no fruit. These branches must be removed so good fruit can grow. In the […]
Amazing Grace
When encountering people from other ethnic, national, or religions, grace is a word that’s hard to understand because it means different things to different people. Consider this scenario. When I consider my life, my reward looks dismal. As I remember the things I’ve done, things I’m too ashamed to tell, I think, “There’s no way […]
Ministry 101
Have you ever heard anyone say that twenty percent of the people in a church do eighty percent of the work? Could it be that some of those who are not working don’t understand that they have a ministry? The Bible tells us that, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, […]
Jesus Is
My paraphrase of the beginning of John says, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was light and came into the darkness but the darkness rejected the light.” In the early chapters of John, I believe the author lays down a foundation of […]
The Grapes of Wrath
Many Christians may have questions concerning what is sinful compared to what is only bad manners. The topic of anger is one of those areas in question. Is all anger sinful or is there such a thing as righteous anger (anger for a good reason)? Is feeling angry ever okay for a believer? Psychologist Robert […]
7 Habits of Highly Effective Christians
As believers we have a new identity in Christ. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Cor 5:17 NIV). The problem we face is how to live out that new identity in a world where everything concerning Christianity seems to be under […]
SHOULD WE QUESTION GOD?
We may have heard that we should not question God because questioning may cause our faith to weaken. I have heard someone say we should never end a prayer with words something like, “If it be your will,” because those words imply we don’t believe we will get what we ask. As new believers what […]
UNBROKEN & UNASHAMED
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand is a memorable story about a forgotten hero, Louis Zamperini. Many people, like me, may never have heard of Louis, but his story is unforgettable. Some say heroes are made not born, but in Louis’ case I think a hero was […]
IS THERE REALLY FREE WILL?
What is the most important decision you have ever made? I knew a man who decided to go to college after high school. His grades were too low so the college expelled him. Having nowhere else to turn, he thought he would join the Air Force. While in the Air Force he was rapidly promoted. […]
WHY IS GOD SILENT SOMTIMES?
Why is God silent when we pray? In the Bible we find God speaking with multitudes of people. Starting in Genesis we read about God talking with Adam. In Revelation, we read about God talking to John. Throughout the entire Bible we can read about God speaking to people. Were those events restricted to the […]