Focal Passage: Psalm 5:1-12 My mother awoke to the sound of my cries in the wee hours of Jan. 1. I don’t remember the exact year, but I remember the reason. I had planned on ringing in the New Year, but I did not last. I later awoke and burst into tears over my failure to enjoy the opening minutes of the New Year. I was old enough to get
Focal Passage: II Corinthians 8:1-9 Mention money and Jesus in the same sentence and you can get yourself in trouble. Too many salacious controversies with religion and money have caused many people to avoid being regular, faithful, consistent financial givers to God’s Kingdom causes. We have become freelance givers, doling out cash where and when we want. But is this right? Yes, we are called to give according to our
Focal Passage: Psalm 139:1-4, 7-16 Some Christians seem to have an aversion to “big” theological terms. Some of those terms, like justification and sanctification, come directly from the Bible. Other terms help us understand theological concepts in a single word instead of requiring a phrase. Psalm 139 reminds us of two such terms, omniscience and omnipresence. They refer respectively to the truths that God knows everything and that He is
Focal Passage: Philippians 4:10-20 Contentment is an enigma surrounded by a mystery folded within a conundrum. Paul says it is a “secret” (vs. 12). We all want it, but it proves elusive. What is contentment? Does it mean passiveness? Lack of ambition? Is it accompanied by an, “I don’t care what’s going on around me, I’m cool,” all the while the house is burning down? Added to the difficulty of
Focal Passage: Psalm 23:1-6 Many of us grew up quoting the opening of Psalm 23 as, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Modern translations help us understand that David wrote of not being in want, or, as the CSB translates the end of verse one, “I have what I need.” In a world consumed by more wants than it has ever known, the psalmist’s words remind us
Focal Passage: Philippians 2:1-11 Humility is one of those characteristics that you are not supposed to know you have, but everyone else should know you have it. If you know you have it, you don’t. Yet, few people consider the nature and scope of humility. Just what is this necessary but elusive characteristic of the mature Christian? It may be best to begin by defining humility by what it is
Focal Passage: Psalm 32:1-11 Church discipline virtually disappeared from Southern Baptist churches for several generations and wasn’t emphasized in theological discussions until the dawn of the twenty-first century. While there were probably multiple contributing factors that brought about such a large-scale absence of accountability, the misuse of discipline was likely a major reason. Many of our churches have nineteenth-century records of removing members found guilty of offenses like drinking, dancing,
Focal Passage: I Timothy 4:6-16 The Point: A godly life points others to Christ. Good character is one thing, but godly character is of another kind. While there may be many “good” people in this world, though ultimately there is none good, not one (Romans 3:9-18), rare is the person who is godly in such a way that their life points others to faith in Jesus Christ. Godliness can be
Focal Passage: Psalm 38:1-8, 18-22 A 1963 episode of The Andy Griffith Show included a scene where the visiting preacher from New York City, Dr. Breen, preached a “sermon” (although he had no Bible and no biblical content!) on slowing down in life. As a few of the main characters exited the service, they met the visiting preacher and began to brag on his sermon. Barney, who had been
Focal Passage: II Peter 1:1-11 The Point: God equips with Christlike character I grew up in a small town filled with ‘characters,’ colorful, wonderful people who were not bland or the same. Like the man in our church who wanted a red pick-up truck, so he went down to the store, bought a gallon of red paint, a paint brush and painted his old farm truck red. He was as
Focal Passage: Psalm 5:1-12 My mother awoke to the sound of my cries in the wee hours of Jan. 1. I don’t remember the exact
Focal Passage: II Corinthians 8:1-9 Mention money and Jesus in the same sentence and you can get yourself in trouble. Too many salacious controversies with
Focal Passage: Psalm 139:1-4, 7-16 Some Christians seem to have an aversion to “big” theological terms. Some of those terms, like justification and sanctification, come
Focal Passage: Philippians 4:10-20 Contentment is an enigma surrounded by a mystery folded within a conundrum. Paul says it is a “secret” (vs. 12). We
Focal Passage: Psalm 23:1-6 Many of us grew up quoting the opening of Psalm 23 as, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
Focal Passage: Philippians 2:1-11 Humility is one of those characteristics that you are not supposed to know you have, but everyone else should know you
Focal Passage: Psalm 32:1-11 Church discipline virtually disappeared from Southern Baptist churches for several generations and wasn’t emphasized in theological discussions until the dawn of
Focal Passage: I Timothy 4:6-16 The Point: A godly life points others to Christ. Good character is one thing, but godly character is of another
Focal Passage: Psalm 38:1-8, 18-22 A 1963 episode of The Andy Griffith Show included a scene where the visiting preacher from New York City, Dr.
Focal Passage: II Peter 1:1-11 The Point: God equips with Christlike character I grew up in a small town filled with ‘characters,’ colorful, wonderful people
