Every relationship is formed and perpetuated by an invisible link called trust. That binding link is forged through loving communication, meticulous integrity, and honest transparent motives.
Faith
Take a walk with me through what many have called “the great hall of faith”—Hebrews chapter 11. The men and women listed in this chapter are people whose lives were pivot points in Bible history.
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Truths on God’s Sovereignty from the Book of Esther
Do you ever feel forgotten by God? Do you wonder if He still knows your address? If He has a plan for your life? If He is able to help with your needs?
Do you ever feel discouraged while looking at the state of our nation? Do you wonder where the speedily declining moral degradation will end?
In short, do you wonder if God is in control?
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Three Characteristics of a True Trust in God
Psalm 62:8 reveals three important characteristics of true trust in God that the Lord showed me that memorable day in a Middle Eastern hotel room.
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Truths about Trust Learned through Cancer
“Rene, you have stage three cancer.”
My dear wife, Krisy, was seated next to my bed waiting for me to wake up from the biopsy on my throat. We knew this diagnosis was a possibility. In fact, the doctor had said he had “a strong suspicion” that the tumor on my larynx was malignant. But we had hoped and prayed for better news.
Prior to the procedure, I had asked my pastor to gather the staff and deacons and pray for me. In obedience to James 5:14–15, he had anointed me with oil, and several men prayed aloud for my healing.
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We have hope in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. We know that our Lord died for our sins and was resurrected from the dead. In Him, we have a victorious hope.
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Our World in Data estimates that 284 million people worldwide have an anxiety disorder. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that 19.1% of Americans had an anxiety disorder in the past year. A recent article in a Christian news periodical raised concerns over the spiked increase of anxiety disorder since our country has been in shelter in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Paul carefully and compassionately addresses believers who were soon shaken in mind and troubled. Let us see God’s help for a troubled mind.
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We easily name the world, the flesh, and the devil as the three primary enemies of the Christian life—and rightly so. Ephesians 2:2–3, 1 John 2:15–16, and dozens of other passages deal with these three enemies of the soul. But rarely do these present themselves unveiled in the heart of a Christian.
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In the midst of Change and Trial, Jesus Never Faltered
It’s amazing how quickly life can change. We live in a fast paced, and the life we live can be very unpredictable. Circumstances can change, people can change, and of course, we all know how quickly the weather can change. With sudden change often comes a sense of uncertainty or insecurity.
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Time Magazine has not been normally known for being a staunch supporter of the Scriptures, but in March 5, 1990 they ran an article in their science column. “Science: Score one for the Bible! Fresh clues support the story of Joshua at the walls of Jericho.”
Over the years archaeologists have come to differing conclusions about Jericho. Jericho is the second most excavated city in the land of Jericho, second only to Jerusalem. The 9-acre Tel (or mound) has been examined by Germans, British, Americans, Palestinians, and Israelis.
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Discerning When to Engage Bible Skeptics
When I was sixteen years old, I encountered my first Bible skeptic. As student at Bob Jones Academy, I was passing out tracts and witnessing to people in downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina. It was the last Friday night before Christmas break and unusually cold for South Carolina.
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Observations of God’s Provision Seen in Deuteronomy 8
Sometimes I imagine a conversation between an Israelite woman and a foreign guest in the Promised Land. The Israelite woman (whom we’ll call Sarah) was among those who spent four decades in the wilderness, and her new companion (we’ll call her Fatima) has recently trekked the same territory. They are eager to swap stories and compare experiences:
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A Look at the Confidence, Condition, and Certainty Available When We Pray
In First John chapter five, we are assured that God both hears and heeds our prayers. The fact that God hears our prayers is a statement of His omniscience, and the fact that God answers our prayers is a statement of His omnipotence.
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Spiritual Building Blocks for the Christian Life—Part 2
The question has often been asked, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” That question should make you think. You cannot earn your salvation by works. However, your works and lifestyle can indicate whether or not you have truly been saved. A person who has been born again will manifest that change in the way he lives.
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Spiritual Building Blocks for the Christian Life—Part 1
Have you ever wondered how some Christians have remained faithful for many decades? Some of the most influential men in my life have been saved for well over twenty years. So how does someone stay the course for so many years?
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A Look at the Command to “Take No Thought”
What am I going to do about this situation? Where do I turn? Is there anyone who can help me? What is going to happen to me? Situations arise daily. We often don’t know what to do or where to turn.
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3 Bible Prayers for Your Time of Need
In this Psalm, young David is running for his life from King Saul. God providentially preserves him, and he has a message for all who come behind him: there is a God in Heaven who hears the cries of His children! No matter why and how far we run, God is only a prayer away.
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While God Honors Our Faith, He Has Also Provided Empirical Facts upon which to Base Our Faith
The existence of God has been the subject of debate for hundreds of years. The fact that the number of non-church goers, skeptics, and atheists is on the rise is not surprising. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).
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We Serve a Great God
God uses what we have, not what we don’t have.
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7 Biblical Steps for Leaders Who Want to Make a Difference
I’ll be upfront: as an independent Baptist pastor, I am concerned. Statistics bear that various groups are sliding, and every indication is that established independent Baptist churches are seeing fewer people added to the church by baptism.
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