Salvation remains a struggle for many Christians.  We say that Jesus saves, that his sacrifice is the one that satisfies God, and that we can’t earn our salvation.  We repeat what we’ve heard from others, that we can’t earn our salvation.  We define grace as something that can’t be earned or deserved, so we discount a works-oriented salvation.  Mercy declares that the punishment we deserve is redirected away from ourselves.  In all of this we are correct, yet listen... Read Full Story

Salvation remains a struggle for many Christians.  We say that Jesus saves, that his sacrifice is the one that satisfies God, and that we can’t earn our salvation.  We repeat what we’ve heard from others, that we can’t earn our salvation.  We define grace as something that can’t be earned or deserved, so we discount a works-oriented salvation.  Mercy declares that the punishment we deserve is redirected away from ourselves.  In all of this we are correct, yet listen... Read Full Story

The Sermon on the Mount is a challenging section of scripture.  I've been mulling some things over recently, and renewed a line of thinking that struck me years ago.  I'd like to share a little of it with you. The Sermon on the Mount may be one of the most familiar and best loved passages in all the Bible.  It's also more difficult than it first appears.  If you read scholars, you'll discover that there are numerous assumptions and attempts to give this sermon a theme, or... Read Full Story

The Sermon on the Mount is a challenging section of scripture.  I've been mulling some things over recently, and renewed a line of thinking that struck me years ago.  I'd like to share a little of it with you. The Sermon on the Mount may be one of the most familiar and best loved passages in all the Bible.  It's also more difficult than it first appears.  If you read scholars, you'll discover that there are numerous assumptions and attempts to give this sermon a theme, or... Read Full Story

I got an email the other day asking me to pray for the President.  No, that’s not exactly what I was asked to do.  In short, I was asked to pray a blanket prayer that all the President’s programs pass and become law.  Frankly, I was shocked. I started paying attention to politics, Presidents, and other elected officials about the time John Kennedy competed against Richard Nixon to become President.  That would have been 1960, and I was 11 years old.  I remember sittin... Read Full Story

I got an email the other day asking me to pray for the President.  No, that’s not exactly what I was asked to do.  In short, I was asked to pray a blanket prayer that all the President’s programs pass and become law.  Frankly, I was shocked. I started paying attention to politics, Presidents, and other elected officials about the time John Kennedy competed against Richard Nixon to become President.  That would have been 1960, and I was 11 years old.  I remember sittin... Read Full Story

It's hot!I spent a week at church camp recently so I thought I'd jot down a few observations.  First, you need to know why I have dodged camp for so long.It was the summer between my freshman and sophomore year at Ole Miss.  That's along time ago, in case you don't know.  Anyway, it was the first summer that Sardis Lake Christian Camp had full-fledged summer camp.  The year before they only had day-camp.  I was recruited for the job of Assistant Camp Director.  The Director's job was filled e... Read Full Story

It's hot!I spent a week at church camp recently so I thought I'd jot down a few observations.  First, you need to know why I have dodged camp for so long.It was the summer between my freshman and sophomore year at Ole Miss.  That's along time ago, in case you don't know.  Anyway, it was the first summer that Sardis Lake Christian Camp had full-fledged summer camp.  The year before they only had day-camp.  I was recruited for the job of Assistant Camp Director.  The Director's job was filled e... Read Full Story

7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. - 1 John 4:7-8, NASB95Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor . . . Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, ki... Read Full Story

10"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. -- Matthew 5:10-12 , NASB95The cruelty of atheism is hard to believe. When a man has no faith in the reward of good or the punishme... Read Full Story