Christian Living

Some of the most positive experiences of my life have rested on words of encouragement or help. Each time I benefit from the positive words of others, I’m more motivated than ever before to use my words in an uplifting way.

Recently, in my personal worship, I came across two great truths that stirred my heart and caused me to contemplate some meditative thoughts. The verses are in Psalm 111 and 112, they are both incredibly rich with significant truths about the kind of experience God wants each of His children to enjoy with Him while they journey through this life here and now.

As we come to the beginning of our 31st Anniversary and Spiritual Leadership Conference at Lancaster Baptist Church, I thought I’d take a quick moment to suggest a few ways that you could more fully benefit from this conference—whether you are with us in person or taking advantage of the live streaming.

Riding an elephant in a Texas zoo was a fun adventure for me as a child. I remember feeling on top of the world observing everything from my high perch. Male, African elephants can reach a height of thirteen feet and can weigh up to 15,000 pounds. Being a mega-strong, terrestrial animal has its advantages—the predators tend to look elsewhere for dinner.

Over the course of my life, I have been a reader. I enjoy books and the learning process, and I have found that few things in life have benefited me as much as my time in good books and the truths I have extracted from them.

Whatever the reason, we are so often focused on the next calendar item that we fail to appreciate the company of God or those with us at the present moment.

Perhaps you’ve heard that one of the best ways to overcome an inward focus (and the discouragement and depression that it can bring) is to serve others. This is good advice. But what if your entire life is already built around serving others?

We love the “if/then” proposition: “If” you do this, “then” I will do that. We love living as though the philosophy of “what goes around comes around” is true.

God uses what we have, not what we don’t have.

Coconuts can drop from a swaying palm tree and then bounce and roll into the crashing surf causing them to float a thousand miles or more. Many of them find a safe haven on another land mass where they productively spread their seeds to grow new palm trees and continue the cycle of fruit-bearing.

What preacher has not had somebody get upset with him? Who has not had folks who through misinformation or a legitimate grievance have become disappointed in their pastor? All of us, if we stay any length of time, will have to deal with upset members. Here are some techniques which I believe to be scriptural and have found to be helpful.

Have you ever noticed how a lack of joy negatively impacts your ability to serve the Lord? And to collaborate with those you serve with?

In reading this passage, I was struck by the similarity of the treatment Jesus received under the religious leaders to what is happening all around the world today. The religious authorities’ treatment of Jesus is being repeated in surprising detail this very moment.

I returned from my most recent missions’ trip to the continent of Africa at the beginning of April. On this twelve day trip, I was able to visit three different countries and preach numerous times. While this wasn’t my first trip to this great continent, it was one that profoundly impacted me. Allow me to share some things I observed, as well as some things God showed me.

They call him “the maniac of Gadara,” and the story of his deliverance is one of the accounts given in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Certainly it is recounted this many times in Scripture because it gives a clear picture of the power and authority of the Lord Jesus over the powers of darkness.

Two of the greatest preachers that ever lived pastored in London at the same time. Charles Spurgeon and Joseph Parker both had large churches in those days.

If there is anyone in the world who has reason to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is a born again Christian.

You and I both know that faith is more than a feeling. It’s action. Steps. Moving forward. Progress.

Scientists tell us that lightning flashes around the world some 6,000 times per minute. The Bible teaches us that, like a bolt of lightning, our lives appear like a flash and then we are gone forever.

In part 1 of this post, we set the context for wanting our music to be honoring to God and offered three principles related to music. In part 2 we looked at seven more principles, for a total so far of 10: