Focal Passage: Psalm 110:1-7 When we think of a footstool, we typically think of some type of ottoman designed to prop up one’s feet. When Psalm 110:1 declares, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool” the word picture is much more dramatic. Ancient artworks demonstrate a conquering king, such as Tiglath-Pileser III or Hadrian, with his foot on the neck of his conquered foe to
Focal Passage: Acts 6:3-17 Bold faith always advances the kingdom of God. In fact, if the truism is true – “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church,” then Stephen planted by this death (Acts 7) what would be watered by the boldness of his fellow believers as the early church exploded with growth and spiritual power. We discover Stephen in Acts 6 as the church attempted
Focal Passage: Psalm 132:1-14, 17-18 Mary Poppins taught us that promises can be like pie crusts — easily made and easily broken. Mankind has become so cynical about the value of promises, that we learn as children to cross our fingers to create a loophole that frees us from fulfilling them. Yet promises are not taken lightly by most people. The outcome of the 1992 U. S. presidential election was
Focal Passage: Matthew 3:1-12 John the Baptist could not have been a member of a local Baptist church. He was too blunt. Too abrasive. Too honest. This is not to say that our churches do not have members who are plenty blunt, abrasive and honest. It is to say that John “the baptizer” was of a different kind when it came to speaking truth. But God wanted it that way.
Focal Passage: Psalm 96:1-13 Did you and your sweetheart ever pick “our song?” You know, the song that marked a particular event in your courtship. Every time it came on the radio you thought of each other because the song was a celebration of the person you loved. You probably started singing even if you couldn’t sing! Every time I heard “You’ll Be in My Heart” by Phil Collins I
Focal Passage: I Samuel 17:3-8, 32-37, 45-47 The story of David and Goliath is not first and foremost a story of “how we face the giants in our lives,” although it does have practical implications for overcoming the challenges of life. It is, however, the story of how the God of the Israelites – our great Triune God, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit –
Focal Passage: Psalm 19:1-11 In May of 1995 I went on a mission trip to Canada with a group of Tennessee BSU students. During a brief sightseeing time we visited Lake Louise where a friend and I rode up the mountain on the ski lift. As we viewed the beautiful landscape, I remember wondering how anyone could deny the existence of God. The psalmist came to a similar conclusion as
Focal Passage: Joshua 2:1-4a, 8-14; 6:22-25 It is wrong to lie (Exodus 20:16; Colossians 3:9), or is it (Exodus 1:15-21; Joshua 2)? The life and faith of Rahab tests this question. Some would say that lying is permissible in a variety of very specific and unusual cases. It might better be called discretion. For example: We lie to protect feelings: “I loved your solo,” when it was terrible. We lie
Focal Passage: Psalm 119:1-16 Psalm 119 opens with reminder that obedience to the Word of God is the key to happiness. More than owning a copy of the Bible or simply reading it, we must do what it says! While some people tend to dismiss the requirement of obedience as legalism, the psalmist reminds us that living according to God’s decrees and instructions flows not from a desire to earn
Focal Passage: Joshua 1:1-9; 16-18 We often think that the stability of God’s work and Word rests on certain people in the Church. As a pastor, I have often said, “If brother so and so goes on to glory or leaves the Church what will we do?” To a degree, the work of the Lord does depend on good and godly people. Thank God for faithful believers. But when Joshua
Focal Passage: Psalm 110:1-7 When we think of a footstool, we typically think of some type of ottoman designed to prop up one’s feet. When
Focal Passage: Acts 6:3-17 Bold faith always advances the kingdom of God. In fact, if the truism is true – “The blood of the martyrs
Focal Passage: Psalm 132:1-14, 17-18 Mary Poppins taught us that promises can be like pie crusts — easily made and easily broken. Mankind has become
Focal Passage: Matthew 3:1-12 John the Baptist could not have been a member of a local Baptist church. He was too blunt. Too abrasive. Too
Focal Passage: Psalm 96:1-13 Did you and your sweetheart ever pick “our song?” You know, the song that marked a particular event in your courtship.
Focal Passage: I Samuel 17:3-8, 32-37, 45-47 The story of David and Goliath is not first and foremost a story of “how we face the
Focal Passage: Psalm 19:1-11 In May of 1995 I went on a mission trip to Canada with a group of Tennessee BSU students. During a
Focal Passage: Joshua 2:1-4a, 8-14; 6:22-25 It is wrong to lie (Exodus 20:16; Colossians 3:9), or is it (Exodus 1:15-21; Joshua 2)? The life and
Focal Passage: Psalm 119:1-16 Psalm 119 opens with reminder that obedience to the Word of God is the key to happiness. More than owning a
Focal Passage: Joshua 1:1-9; 16-18 We often think that the stability of God’s work and Word rests on certain people in the Church. As a
