Christian Living

The men whom Jesus chose to be His apostles found that if they would follow the teaching of their Master, they must recognize that His central teaching had to do with Who He is.

June 2011 marks my thirtieth anniversary in full-time ministry. I was saved in an independent Baptist church. Over the last three decades, I have seen the spiritual wagons circling into many different camps. We have to ask the question, “Should I separate from fellow independent Baptists?”

Someone has said, “The unsoundness of a vessel is not seen when it is empty; but when it is filled with water.” This is when you will see if it will leak or not.

God has a plan for each one of His children. If His only goal was to simply take us to Heaven, He would do so the moment we trust Christ. The Bible makes it clear that God has saved us to serve.

Down through the years, one of my favorite songs by Ron Hamilton has been “Rejoice in the Lord.” Ron wrote this song back when he first was diagnosed with cancer in his left eye.

There are many criteria to evaluate music (technical, poetical, structural, and stylistic criteria). These and other judgments on the subject of music lead to some wide variations in response to the question, “What, exactly, is good music?”

I love Lucy! And no…I’m not referring to the old black and white TV classic. I love our new dog, Lucy!

In 1604, King James I of England authorized a new translation of the Bible into the English Language. That Authorized Version was released in May of 1611.

Whereas Peter spoke of something more sure, today’s believer is constantly bombarded with a newer and better translation that does not generate more trust. Rather, it generates confusion, doubt, dissension, and unending debate.

The multiplication of “modern language” English Bibles is one of the most important religious phenomena of recent years. The abandonment of the King James Bible by churches has not been a good thing.

Money is a tool, not an end. It is a help, not a salvation. We should never base final decision upon finances, but rather, on wisdom.

Some of today’s great college athletes never fulfill their potential. Though exceptionally talented, they fail to succeed in both sport and life. This is because their talent took them to a place where their character could not sustain them.

I recently ventured the clean­up of a hazardous material spill in my kitchen. My thermometer had fallen and broken on the dark linoleum floor, spilling the mercury which dispersed into little rolling beads.

Psalm 126 is a post-captivity psalm. It was penned after the Jews made their long return back to Jerusalem. It was written at a time when the nation of Israel was excited about what God had done for them.

We go to prayer conferences and even preach on prayer. But do we truly pray? I found the following thoughts about prayerlessness to be thought provoking and decided to share them with you.

I have a “route” within walking distance of our church. I have been going there for 33 years, gathering up any kids that will come with me. We usually walk, or put the smaller ones on trisikads (bikes with sidecars).

I despise soggy cereal! When I was a kid, there was a grandmotherly woman named Mrs. Shelton who would sometimes care for us if my parents were out of town. She had a very effective way of getting us out of bed in the morning.

Sometimes during my week I look forward to Friday—that is the day that I try to take off from work. It doesn’t always happen, but when it does I am excited to be home with my family to relax and enjoy them.

When I was a young teenager I knew that there was much work to be done for Christ, and it seemed right and reasonable to volunteer to serve God in whatever way that He saw fit.

In Mark 14 we find a number of wonderful lessons from the lives of everyday people—people like you and me. The chapter begins with the house of Simon (once a leper) and a woman who came to the Lord Jesus and broke open an alabaster box filled with spikenard and poured it on Jesus’ head.