Faith

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.

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.

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.

This passage of Scripture has always fascinated me. The fact that Elijah was “a man subject to like passions as we are” is intriguing. He was a godly man, but he was still just a man.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

Several months ago, I attended a convention where the speaker talked about his feelings when asked to fill the shoes of a leader he greatly respected and admired. His initial thought was simply this: “Lord, help me not to mess this up.” He then recounted how the Holy Spirit rebuked that spirit of fear within him.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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).

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

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.

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

Everyone has faith in something or someone. We place our faith in the vehicle we drive to work and the simple appliances that we use. It is truly amazing how many things that we place our faith in throughout our daily lives.