Posts Tagged ‘Christian Life’
An Offering of Ants
This Labor Day, as we honor labor and recognize the contributions of workers by taking the day off, it’s to our benefit to recognize Solomon’s humble object lesson of hard work: the ant. Whether you’re busy as a bee, eager as a beaver, or poor as a church mouse … could an ant ameliorate us?…
Read MoreStaying on the Mountaintop
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain (Isaiah 40:4). There is something so beautiful and majestic when viewing mountains 10,000 to 14,000 feet in height. It is a wonderful experience to hike in them and there…
Read MoreLife Is Like a Dickens Novel
It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known. – Sydney Carton This famous line marks the end of the masterful novel, A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens. If you know…
Read MoreDo You Trivialize Sin?
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death. James 1:5 From Reader’s Digest: You must pay for your sins. If you have already paid, please disregard this notice. There is some confusion as to what sin is. As a teenager, I learned this definition for…
Read MoreCan Fundamentalists Be Peacemakers?
“As much as lieth within you live peaceably with all men.” Romans 12:18 It’s not the role we normally consider for Baptist Fundamentalists — peacemakers. Nevertheless, there can be no doubt that scripture calls us to that role and we must obediently embrace it. Frankly, we are not very good at it. We have all…
Read MoreIn Jesus’ Name
George Stiekes Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask IN MY NAME, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in…
Read MoreGrieving The Holy Spirit (Part 1)
George Stiekes Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you (I Corinthians 3:16). The believer is indwelt by the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is called the “Spirit of God.” In Galatians 4:6 He is called the Spirit of His (God’s) Son.” You would…
Read MoreAbsorbed with God — CONTINUALLY
George Stiekes Seek the LORD and His strength, seek His face CONTINUALLY. (1 Chronicles 16:11) Stephen Colbert to the graduating class at the University of Virginia: “Your generation needs everything to be about you, and that’s very upsetting to us baby boomers because self-absorption is sort of our thing.” Without realizing it, he described what…
Read More“Solitude”
Wally Morris Definition of “solitude”: being alone or isolated; cut off voluntarily or involuntarily from other people, entirely by oneself, standing apart from the rest of the world; originally from Latin solus (alone) Synonyms of “solitude”: seclusion, privacy, isolation; loneliness, wilderness Every pastor understands the meaning and significance of the word “solitude”. If he doesn’t,…
Read MoreWhat’s Happening to American Christianity?
Joel Arnold A recent thorough survey of religion in America told us something we already knew—by pretty much any measure the number of people engaged with religion is dropping rapidly. The study isn’t with fundamental or even evangelical churches—it cuts broadly across denominations, generations, and social groups, measuring religious interest over multiple decades. And the…
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