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Paul taught Timothy, a young protégé of his in ministry that, “requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving (should) be made for everyone…” 1 Timothy 2:1 As personal requests, intercession on behalf of others as well as praise and thanksgiving became the essence of the early church’s practice of effective prayer and the realization of a relationship with God. Prayer being our means of communication with God, encouraging a time of meditation on His goodness, involving a quiet time of reflection on His word and will. As such, it…  ( Click for more )

The idea of giving from our material substance to the church in support of it’s ministry dates back to the setting up of worship by Jehovah. “A tithe of everything from the land, …belongs to the Lord.” Leviticus 27:30-33 Proverbs 3:9,10 admonishing, “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first-fruits of all your crops; (with the accompanying promise) then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” The Prophet Malachi equating withholding the tithe as robbery! God further challenging Israel…  ( Click for more )

What does it mean to be a child of God? I could list any number of characteristics to describe a child of God – to me a few of the more important are trust and trustworthiness, dependence and dependability; as well as obedience. Some may challenge that and that’s fine – let’s see what the Bible has to say.

Children seemed to readily accept and be drawn to Jesus. (Matthew 21:14-16) In return, Jesus often used child-like faith and trust to encourage, teach and even scold his adult listeners. In responding to the question – ‘Who…  ( Click for more )

Heated debate often results from any discussion of self-worth. Do we derive it simply by being human, due to our relationships with others or by virtue of redemption in Christ alone? Many say we have no self-worth at all and quote Isaiah 64:6 as biblical evidence. “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” That doesn’t seem to leave much room for negotiation. Yet if I am a rag – a piece of shirt for instance – then at one point I was a useful object, or at least had the potential to be. What…  ( Click for more )

Last week we looked at a number of scriptural and historical testimonials of our “Christian” past. This week I will conclude with a few more reminders of how we became who we are, memorializing the words and activities of the past in an attempt to understand the present and ensure a successful future.

Thomas Jefferson strongly believed in separating church and state functions, making him the darling of the anti-religion forces; then and now. While not a Christian in the sense we would prefer, he did have this to say. “My views… are the result…  ( Click for more )

Holidays are set aside to commemorate an historic event or person. Bridges, buildings, roads, statues, and monuments are used to remind us as well. But why is it important to remember? In remembering we celebrate and rededicate ourselves to upholding the principles, sacrifice and creativity shown by those who have gone before. But what’s the past really got to do with the present or future?

It has been wisely said that those who fail to remember the past are doomed to relive it. (Santayana) How so? Technologically, man today is vastly different from his predecessors;…  ( Click for more )

A number of polls and interviews across the country suggest a resurgence of interest in the tenets of Calvinism – or predestination – among today’s youth. Coming in an age that is so rights’ conscious and choice demanding, and in an age group that tends to be so focused on individuality and opportunity; I find that curious. We have looked at the philosophy of predestination in detail before but I thought I’d respond here with a few brief thoughts on a puzzling yet important aspect of the Christian faith. I am making no claim to authority, but…  ( Click for more )

School is almost over – for some it may well be already – and I want to congratulate you on your effort this year and send some of you out into the big bad world with sound advice and encouragement. In meditating on what to say, an old-time hymn came to mind, “Take the Name of Jesus With You.” In looking for it I came across another good one, “Take Time To Be Holy.” No other advice I could give would be more appropriate or better expressed.

You are all well-educated (or in the process of being so) and prepared for success in the…  ( Click for more )

Last week, in an attempt to discern the significance of baptism to the Christian believer and thus, its application within the church today; we looked at a number of Biblical calls for its practice and thus, its importance to the early church. This week I’d like to look at some specific examples of New Testament convert’s responses to this call for genuine sorrow, repentance and redemption embodied in this simple act of obedience.

After delivering the very first Christian sermon, Peter was asked by his conscience-stricken audience – ‘What…  ( Click for more )

The significance of baptism as part of the plan of salvation is often questioned. Is it merely a work (which we are supposed to be free of), a ritual (practiced as an initiation rite), or an act of obedience called for by God?

Baptism is included in the list of elementary or foundational teachings of Christianity found in Hebrews 6:1,2 – so it must be important. But how important is it really? Many asking, ‘Can’t I be saved without it?’ (Amazing how often we ask, ‘How much do I have to do?’ or ‘How little can I do and still…  ( Click for more )

“Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life? …obey the commandments. ….I have… What still do I lack? If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth… I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. …it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. When the disciples heard this,…  ( Click for more )

What’s the difference? Webster’s defines a disciple as a pupil or follower of another’s ideas and ideals, and a follower as an attendant, a servant, an adherent to another’s beliefs and teachings. Again! What’s the difference? It’s ultimately a matter of commitment, yet what a difference that can make. It would seem to be significant that the title “Disciple” is lifted pretty much whole and intact from the word “Discipline”; which is defined as training that develops self-control, orderliness, obedience in thought and…  ( Click for more )

Is that possible? The Bible says, “Above all else, guard your heart, (what you know and are motivated by, for our purposes here - your mind.) for it is the well-spring of life.” Prob. 4:23 Many of you are on your own for the first time in your lives while some of you have had a little more experience and practice being exposed to new ideas, new surroundings and having new experiences; which involves deciding which are good, which are not so good and what should be avoided altogether. At any rate, you are all in a position where Mom and Dad are not going to be there…  ( Click for more )

Do you remember the scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, where Indy – his beautiful “assistant” and their arch-enemy are standing before a collection of beautifully decorated cups; any one of which is the Holy Grail, or the cup used at the last Supper and supposedly imbued with miraculous power? To save Indy’s mortally wounded father, he had to choose the right one; the German agent picking an ornately decorated one because it looked like something he imagined a king would use. Drinking from it, he immediately began to age and died a horribly…  ( Click for more )

Joshua had just listed the opportunities and options the Israelites had for worship and service – contrasting the benefits of Jehovah with the other “gods” of the region. In challenging them to make a choice and to stand firm in that choice, he declared that regardless of what others did, “…as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

Moses had earlier set before them similar choices; follow God and be blessed or turn away and face hardship, even a curse. That seems simple enough; a choice between life…  ( Click for more )

I don’t read news magazines on a weekly basis, but do try to watch for stories that pertain to Christian thought and practice. Newsweek’s Dec. 15 cover story certainly did that, claiming to have ‘The Religious Case For Gay Marriage’ within its pages. Beyond that, John Meacham, Newsweek’s editor, felt the story important enough to introduce it with elaboration of his own in his Editor’s Desk Commentary.

Two of his comments in particular grabbed my attention. One was his assertion that there is a decided generational difference of…  ( Click for more )

Doesn’t that seem a bit odd? To proclaim the death of an individual and the apparent defeat of their cause, as a victory? That’s part of the uniqueness of Christ’s gospel; winning by losing, living through dying. (Matthew 10:39) His power revealed in death’s defeat at his resurrection. His love shown at all points during his life and ministry, reaching a pinnacle in his voluntary substitutionary death for us all. His life and ministry surpassing all others by the power of his resurrection and his relationship to God. (John 3:16)

Questions of ethics arise…  ( Click for more )

To proclaim the substitutionary death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is the purpose and function of the church. And there is no more simple yet graphic way to do so than remembering in the act of communion; which had, has and always should have a central place and primary focus in our churches. With this routine practice can come a sense of complacency and even disrespect, which was one reason Paul directed his letter to the Corinthians. (See 1 Corinthians 11:17-34) But this can be and often is true of anything of importance. But that doesn’t mean we…  ( Click for more )

Many social issues divide our culture and churches today; my intent here is not to address each one. Suffice it to say that our Bible deals in a straight-forward manner with most of them and must be adhered to. Communion or the Lord’s Supper, wouldn’t at first glance seem to be a divisive issue – but it is – it’s importance, meaning and place in worship routinely questioned and debated. At it’s inception, it was closely associated with the Passover Feast of Judaism, which memorialized Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and the Death Angel’s…  ( Click for more )

More and more economists, theologians and Depression Era survivors agree that America’s deepening financial crisis has a number of reasons but one basic cause; a bankruptcy of values pertaining to money. One of the reasons being a scarcity of savings and an over-dependence on credit, which is directly connected to the indifference many have for scripture such as that used in the title of this article which finishes by insisting that, “…a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Christian principles are increasingly…  ( Click for more )

The clothing malfunction involving Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake during their Super Bowl performance four years ago raised a number of issues; not the least of which was the hypocrisy of some who protested Ms. Jackson’s “unveiling.”

I was surprised and upset by what happened but wonder how much would have been made of the performance if Janet’s breast had merely been exposed through the thin, red, clingy top she was wearing under her leather jacket. The intent was to rip away the jacket, showing as much of her breast as possible without…  ( Click for more )

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God…” Romans 1:1 Considered by many to be the greatest missionary of Christianity and it’s foremost theologian, writing thirteen books of the New Testament while being a focal point of the Book of Acts, he is known to have traveled extensively throughout Asia Minor, the Grecian Peninsula, Italy and possibly Spain (Romans 15:24) and Great Britain. Paul traveled tremendous distances, suffered many hardships, experiencing both success and opposition; yet he influenced…  ( Click for more )

Don’t you just love this time of year? The family get-togethers, exchanging gifts, playing in the snow and caroling. Even the charitable contributions we make to the food and gift drives for the less fortunate warm our hearts as we express genuine concern for others. (The Christmas season opening our eyes to the opportunities for being a blessing to the needy around us like no other.) Yet in making new memories and remembering old times together, let’s not forget what is really important. Think back with me for a moment and...remember.

A cool starry…  ( Click for more )

Through the ages man has debated the substance and purpose of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You wouldn’t think there would be that much to discuss but countless committee meetings, conferences and councils have met to decide what the gospel of Jesus Christ really is and how it should be presented to mankind.

The problem arises because man often tries to make the gospel fit his expectations rather than finding his place within the gospel; some converts seeking the benefits of a Christian lifestyle rather than coming to Christ himself. The stability, financial…  ( Click for more )