Losing Your First Love
The church in Ephesus was commended for doctrinal vigilance and endurance, but was rebuked for its loss of love. Sadly, they had lost that lovin’ feelin’, even though they were doing many good works for God.
A Life That Demands a Gospel Explanation
When Peter exhorted early Christians about responding to suffering, he was teaching them about apologetics of the faith.
Levi’s Jeans and the Inheritance of Lies
The good news in Jeremiah’s prophecy, and in our journey to the truth that sets us free and keeps us free, is that God promised to expose the lies and restore His people.
The God Who Makes a Way
Isaiah didn’t say, “God made a way,” but that God “makes a way.” He told them, “Remember not the former things,” but “behold” the Lord is “doing a new thing.” The original Exodus did not exhaust God’s power but provided a pattern of new exodus-like deliverances.
Misplaced Trust and a Covenant with Death
The bed of misplaced trust offers no rest, and the blanket of false hope is of no comfort. Isaiah preached that their rejection of God gave them no peace, no rest, and no warmth. Have you ever slept in a bed that was too short, or tried to keep warm with a garment that couldn’t cover you?
From “Woe Is Me” to “Here I Am, Send Me”
Isaiah’s experience with the coals of God’s grace leads him from “Woe is me!” to “Here I am! Send me.” He goes from being convicted of his sin, to being cleansed from its guilt, to being commissioned to serve God’s purposes for his life.
I’m Too Busy… Enjoying God
Hollywood celebrity Jim Carrey once said, “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.” These words sound a lot like the reflections found in one of the wisdom books of the Bible.
This Picture of Authority Changes Everything
We have a ministry partnership with an orphanage in the Dominican Republic. The kids can get quite rowdy at times. Yet whenever Pastor Pedro steps into the room, the kids are on their best behavior.
Swinging at Life With a Dull Blade
There’s an old story about two lumberjacks who had a contest to see who could chop the most wood. One was a young, strong man who could chop relentlessly. He was convinced he would win easily against the older lumberjack who was on the back end of his tree felling days.
John Wesley: Abounding in Love
We did a sports camp at the very location in Bristol where Wesley erected a chapel and built a school in the mid eighteenth century. In the same field where Wesley and Whitefield used to preach open air to coal miners, we used baseball to demonstrate the gospel to young people.