Never Alone
In 1897, a lady named Ludie Pickett wrote a song entitled “Never Alone.” The lyrics include:..… read more
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The Power of Benediction
If you grew up (as I did) in a mainline, denominational church, you likely heard a benediction every Sunday as the service was dismissed. What I heard frequently was the Aaronic blessing from Numbers 6:24-26….… read more
Where is the Fire?
I seem to write and work best if I have something going on in the background, and even if the volume is very low, this often means I have a news channel playing on the television…… read more
No Throw-Aways
Over Christmas break of 2024, I spent some time going through a classic work entitled The Bruised Reed and Smoking Flax by Richard Sibbes (1577-1635)…… read more
Indo Além da Desilusão e da Decepção
Quando Lisa e eu estávamos na Austrália em agosto (2024), uma história nos foi contada por um crente do sudeste do Pacífico. Alguns anos atrás, um grupo cristão queria realizar uma celebração em uma praia específica, mas teve a permissão negada com base em sua fé. Em vez disso, foi dito a eles que teriam que se reunir nas montanhas em um local diferente e menos desejável. … read more
We’ve Got Work to do!
I often question how accurate certain surveys are, but if the responses cited below even closely reflect reality, it is a reminder that we have a lot to do to make sure that those who hear us have a strong doctrinal foundation…… read more
In Search of the Real St. Nicholas
In February of this year (2024), I had the privilege of speaking for four days to pastors at the annual convention at the Association of Protestant Churches in Antalya, Turkey (described as Attalia in Acts 14:25)…… read more
The Life of Fred Francis Bosworth (1877-1958)
This week (February 18-21, 2025) I’ve been teaching a second-year course on “Church History” at Charis Bible College in Woodland Park, Colorado..… read more
Visiting Helen Keller’s Home
This past Saturday (January 25, 2025), I had the great pleasure of visiting the birthplace and childhood home of Helen Keller with Pastor Tony and Tara Collins..… read more
The Power of a Visit
Yesterday, Lisa and I went to Cedar Point Church in Claremore and I’d like to highlight something we heard Pastor Rick Burke share..… read more
Moving Beyond Disillusionment and Disappointment
When Lisa and I were in Australia in August (2024), a story was related to us by a believer from the Pacific southeast.Some years back, a Christian group was wanting to hold a celebration on a particular beach but were denied a permit based on their faith..… read more
Making Each Other Better
I was recently privileged to visit the Lawrence County Historical Center in New Castle, Pennsylvania, the hometown of Ira D Sankey. Sankey was the song leader for D. L. Moody, the great evangelist…… read more
The Significance of One
One of my favorite subjects to teach is teamwork, and while that is a tremendously important topic, we should never forget the power and significance of “one” and of individual effort. .… read more
What About That “Hard-to-Understand” Scripture?
In this article, I’m going to address “hard-to-understand” verses in the Bible. Maybe you’re not aware of any, and you believe you have perfect clarity and understanding regarding every spiritual matter. If that’s you, you probably won’t benefit from this article. But for everyone else — those who sometimes scratch their heads because they don’t fully understand something they read in the Bible — I think this article will be beneficial. .… read more
The Snare of Success
Abraham Lincoln once remarked, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” He had probably seen people who were motivated positively by challenges and setbacks, and others who were corrupted by success. Don’t get me wrong. .… read more
God’s Amazing Plan for Non-Preachers
When a person is called to preach, the urgency of that call (especially in the early years) can be all-consuming and all-important. If a person lacks maturity and perspective, the call to preach can seem so important that all other aspects of life seem to pale by comparison. Hopefully the young preacher will grasp the idea that other issues are vital as well — such areas as character development, building healthy relationships, and giving proper attention to the practical areas of life.… read more
A Question of Authority
Something believers need to strongly consider these days is the issue of authority, and more specifically, God’s authority. A fundamental question every human being must answer has to do with whether or not they will submit their lives to God’s rule and reign.… read more
Living in the Right Time Zone
When people travel, even domestically, they’ve got to be aware of the time zone they are in. If you travel from New York to California, you will experience a three-hour time difference. If a person hasn’t adjusted, they might be hungry for lunch when it’s really time for breakfast.… read more
Facing Change
Are you ready for change? Some are afraid that things will change. Others may be afraid that things won’t change, or at least, that they won’t change in the way they want them to.… read more
A Visit to Billy Sunday’s House
While vacationing in Indiana last week, I visited the home of Billy Sunday (1862-1935) in Winona Lake. At his wife Nell’s request, it has been kept just the way it was when they lived there. … read more
Easily Destroying a Hornet’s Nest
One of my early recollections in life pertains to my grandfather going after a good-sized nest of bees (or wasps) that was attached to a garage type of building next to our house. I watched in amazement as he used a broom to dislodge it. … read more
What Does it Mean to Preach “The Whole Counsel of God’s Word?”
Having established the church in Ephesus, Paul issued an emotionally-charged farewell to their elders and made this powerful statement.… read more
Remarkable Findings at Yale
Some of the highlights included seeing a copy of an original Gutenberg Bible (printed around 1454), one of 21 known to survive. An archivist also showed me a hand-written copy of a letter from Jonathan Edwards to his mother. Edwards enrolled at Yale when he was 13 years old and became a leading figure in America’s great awakening. I also saw a handwritten letter from George Washington in which he thanked Timothy Dwight (see below) who later served as Yale’s President. … read more
Common Sense is Good!
Over the years, much wonderful teaching has been shared on how God leads us by his Word and Spirit, and I am most thankful for it. In this article, I want to address another way that we are enabled to make decisions and take action: common sense. … read more
Much Assembly Required
When Lisa and I first moved to Tulsa in June of 1979 (one week after we got married), I worked for a few months at a K-Mart in the toy department. … read more
