3 Thoughts on Newtown
Evil is real. We need to understand that the devil is as real as Jesus although, thankfully, he is not as powerful as our Lord. Many are asking questions today about the Connecticut shooting. People want to why such a thing could happen in a peaceful town. Some are questioning God and asking why a […]
Lessons from the Oldest Living Person
Bessie Cooper died yesterday in Georgia. She was officially the world’s oldest living person. Her son reported that she had her hair done earlier in the day as if she was preparing to go. She had become something of a celebrity as she was the first Georgian to ever old a world record. I don’t […]
The Thief on the Cross and Baptism
The thief on the cross has little or nothing to do with baptism. The Bible teaches that baptism is essential for salvation. Those who disagree often point to the thief on the cross as evidence that baptism is not required for salvation. Their reasoning is that since Jesus told the thief that he would be with him […]
When Pain Is Good
A top college football coach has a motto for his team: “Pain instructs.” One of his top players sports a tattoo that reads, “Pain Lies.” Each is counterintuitive. They seem silly. We think that pain only hurts. That it must be eliminated at all cost. We might even think that pain is the only truth […]
Prepare
It did not freeze last night. Contrary to some weather forecasts, it only dropped to about 37 here in Daphne. But I did notice my neighbors covering their plants yesterday. And even though they will awake to realize their work was not needed, they will still take similar preparations next time. When living in the […]
Should We Change?
People vote for a candidate for one or many possible reasons. One very large set of issues are those that deal with social issues or moral issues. Things like abortion, gambling, gay marriage and work ethic issues define many American voters. For many years, politicos have been telling us that these issues are unimportant to […]
IRS and Church Politics
Apparently, the IRS cares little what you say in the pulpit. That’s a good thing because we don’t need government telling us what to preach. But as I outlined in a recent post about the IRS and churches, the law remains on the books which prohibits a church, which uses the non -profit status, from […]
Enthroned!
Jesus is on the throne. Remember that and do not forget it. Jesus is on the throne. This week we face an election which has many Americans up in arms over the possible outcomes. People on both sides of the street fear the worst if their candidate fails to win. For some, the church will […]
Jesus and Legion
The meeting between Jesus and Legion is fascinating. Jesus converses with the demon and then banishes him into a herd of pigs. The story is exciting and curious, and there are important lessons to be learned. The account is found in Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20 and Luke 8:26-39. Jesus is preaching in Galilee and has […]
Pulpit Freedom Sunday: A Misguided Idea
Hundreds of preachers are going to break the law today (October 7, 2012). It’s called Pulpit Freedom Sunday and it is staged by an organization that works to protect churches against government intrusion. Preachers will step into their pulpits today and take a political position for or against Mitt Romney or Barack Obama. Intervening on […]
